Characterisation of AZ31B magnesium alloy formability in warm forming conditions

Nowadays, magnesium alloys materials are more and more utilised in transportation industry in order to reduce the vehicles mass, and thus to minimize air pollution and fuel consumption. Since they present a quite low formability at room temperature, promising applications are developing in the area of sheet metal working in warm temperature conditions. The paper presents a complete characterisation of the magnesium alloy AZ31B formability at elevated temperature. Both uniaxial tensile and hemispherical punch tests are utilised to determine the material formability sensitivity to temperature, strain, rate, and rolling directions.