Application of artificial neural networks for characterisation of formability properties of sheet metals

Artificial neural network models were developed to estimate forming limit diagrams from tensile test results based on our own experiments and data from the literature for steel and aluminium sheet metals. Experimental data were obtained from tensile tests and Nakazima tests. The input parameters used in the models were yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, uniform elongation, elongation at fracture, anisotropy coefficient and hardening exponent or combinations of these. The forming limit curves were defined by the measured minor and major strains using seven standard test specimens. After training the artificial neural network, the difference between measured and predicted results was evaluated by linear regression parameters and by the absolute errors. For steel sheet data taken from the literature, the estimated outputs of ANN models were compared with the results of empirical formulae developed by different authors. It was found that there was a high correlation coefficient between predicted and measured values for models using neural networks, which gave better approximations than other linear and non-linear models.