Investigation on the maximum thinning and protrusion height of the hydroformed 316L SS/Al clad T-branch

The hydroforming process of the 316L SS/Al clad T-branch was investigated through numerical simulation and experiments. The effects of bonding strength, internal pressure, lubrication condition, and the feed distance on the protrusion height and the maximum thinning rate were investigated by the FE method. Furthermore, the 316L SS/Al clad T-branch was fabricated by the hydroforming process and the micro-interface of the local position of the hydroformed parts was analyzed by using SEM method. The results indicated that the qualified clad T-branch could be obtained by using the appropriate hydroforming process.