Straightforward identification of flow curve and yield locus parameters from three-point bending experiments

Material testing and modeling is one of the cornerstones of virtual analysis of sheet metal forming processes. However, it is also becoming more and more relevant for incoming goods inspection, especially in view of the increasing amount of recycled material or frequent changes of suppliers, e.g. to provide workers, processes and/or process models with relevant information about a new batch of material. Efficient material testing and straight-forward test evaluation is essential for this. The flow curve and yield locus are central to describe the forming behavior of sheet metal materials. However, the parameters of the associated models are currently determined in various tests on different systems and with special sample geometries. The present work presents a methodology that allows the determination of a set of flow curve and yield locus parameters from three three-point bending tests only. The evaluation routine does not require finite element simulation and processes only the force-displacement information of the bending tests, which also places low demands on the measurement technology. The results were compared with a conventionally determined parameter set using a validation test, and the results are of reasonable quality, especially considering the minimal effort involved.