Abstract
Superplastic forming/diffusion bonding (SPF/DB) processes were analyzed using a 3-D rigid visco-plastic finite element method. A constant-triangular element based on membrane approximation and an incremental theory of plasticity are employed for the formulation. The coulomb friction law is used for interface friction between tool and material. Pressure-time relationship for a given optimal strain rate is calculated by stress and pressure values at the previous iteration step. In order to improve the contact searching, hierarchical search algorithm has been applied and implemented into the code. Various geometries including sandwich panel and 3 sheet shape for 3-D SPF/DB model are analyzed using the developed program. The validity fer the analysis is verified by comparison between analysis and results in the literature.