Cross-sectional deformation behavior of double-ridged rectangular tube with fillers in different stages of H-typed bending

The bent double-ridged rectangular tube (DRRT) with high forming quality is helpful to improve the microwave transmission accuracy. For reducing the cross-sectional deformation in the H-typed bending process, in addition to using rigid mandrel to support the inside of tube, ridge groove fillers are also added to restrict the deformation of ridge grooves. Because of the change of stress and strain state of bent tube in bending, rigid mandrel retracting and specially twice-springback stages, and the springback of fillers, the cross-sectional deformation of tube in each stage may be different. Therefore, based on the ABAQUS platform, the finite element models (FEM) for H-typed bending, mandrel retracting and twice-springback stages of H96 DRRT with fillers were established and validated. It is found that, for the height and width deformation of tube and spacing deformation of ridge grooves, retraction of mandrel can make the distribution of these deformations more uniform along the bending direction. The first springback can reduce these deformations significantly, which should be emphasized. But the second springback only increases them by less amount, which can be ignored. The smaller height deformation of ridge groove and filler can be neglected.