Optimization design preform billet shape of 7050 aluminum alloy giant plane forgings based on electric field method and MBC toolbox

The preform billet shape of the 7050 aluminum alloy giant plane forgings has been designed using electric field method based on similarity principle. Firstly, the electrostatic field was analysed by using ANSYS software, from which the preform billet shape was obtained based on electrostatic field equipotential lines. The preform shape, press velocity, temperature and friction factor were taken as parameter variables, while the forming load, filling rate and grain size were chosen as optimization goals. The mathematical model was optimized by the use of a Model-Based Calibration (MBC) toolbox for modelling, Three-Dimensional of Design Environment for FORMing (DEFORM-3D) for simulation and CAlibration GEneration (CAGE) toolbox, obtaining the best preform shape and the optimal combination of process parameters (friction factor μ = 0.2, press velocity ν = 9.8 mm/s and billet temperature T = 478 °C) when the equipotential line was ξ = 0.425 V. Finally, comparing with initial preform shape, the results indicate that the optimized preform billet designed by electric field method has an advantage in finish forging, while the forming load of finish forging reduces by about 38 % and the average micrograin size reduces by about 45 %. Therefore, it provides an effective method for designing preform billet shape of complex forgings.