Abstract:
Electrically-assisted technology has the advantages of reducing the material deformation resistance and improving the forming accuracy of parts, and has been widely used in the high-quality precision forming of lightweight and difficult-to-deform titanium alloys. The combined effect of Joule thermal effect and athermal effect induced by electric current has multiple influences on the mechanical properties and microstructures of titanium alloys. Therefore, it is still controversial whether the traditional constitutive models can accurately describe the mechanical behaviors of materials in electrically-assisted forming process. In this paper, firstly, we summarize the studies on the electroplastic effect mechanism, and clarify the influence of electric current on macroscopic mechanical behaviors and microstructure evolutions of titanium alloys. Secondly, the advancements and limitations of current material constitutive models in the electrically-assisted forming process are sorted out, and how to investigate the electrically-assisted forming process of titanium alloys with the aid of computer simulation methods at different scales is reviewed. Finally, the future research trends of constitutive model and simulation technology of electrically-assisted forming of titanium alloy are envisioned.