Analysis and simulation for shape control effects of complex aluminum alloy profile during ECAP

Improving mechanical properties and maintaining shape precisions are both significant for the further developments of aluminum alloy profiles. A new kind of ECAP with rubber mandrels can be innovatively used to form these alloy profiles in recent years. The profiles can be maintained as their initial shapes after pressing through the channel. At the same time, their mechanical properties can be improved. In this paper, analytical method is firstly used to find the mechanical mechanism during this process. Both finite element simulation and physical experiment are used to verify these results obtained by the analytical model. Except for the head and tail parts of the profiles, the shape of middle parts can be maintained well. Based on the stress delivered, severe plastic deformation can be applied in forming process of complex profiles. Better mechanical properties and good shape precisions can be creatively realized in complex profiles at the same time.