Sequentially Tailored Profiles with Adjustable Transition Zones by Roll-Slide-drawing

The roll-slide-drawing process enables tailoring of profile cross-sections at arbitrary axial positions with short transition zones at high industrial throughput rates. The process combines rolling using rotating dies with non-axisymmetric complex geometries and subsequent drawing of a constant cross-section geometry. For initially round tubes, process limits of notches and transition lengths are derived analytically. These limits are removed through the novel approach of starting with oval or rectangular shaped profile cross-sections as demonstrated experimentally. Developed analytical models for the prediction of the profile thickness after forming and the prediction of the drawing forces are validated experimentally and numerically.