Deformation Behavior and Accuracy Control in Gas-Assisted Diaphragm Forming of Composites Using Multi-Point Flexible Die

Multi-point flexible die (MPFD) exhibits broad application potentials for efficient and controllable forming of curved sheets due to its rapid reconfigurability. Nevertheless, the relatively poor surface accuracy and geometrical accuracy of the fiber-reinforced composite components formed by MPFDs limit the widespread application of this technology. In this study, a novel gas-assisted diaphragm forming (GADF) process based on MPFDs for curved basalt fiber/epoxy resin composite sheets was proposed. The precise control of temperature, pressure and MPFD configuration in the process was realized and verified. The effects of different process parameter configurations on dimple defects and geometrical accuracy were analyzed, and the mechanism of defect generation was investigated. A response surface-based forming accuracy prediction model was developed to analyze the influence of component structural parameters on geometrical accuracy. Based on the predictive model, compensation reconfiguration of MPFDs was carried out to achieve high-accuracy sheet forming. Results demonstrated that increasing pressure exacerbated the dimple while reducing shape accuracy. A moderate temperature (120 °C) was proved optimal for component forming, as both excessively low and high temperatures aggravated dimple and induced geometrical errors. Increasing interpolator thickness effectively reduced dimple defects, but excessive thickness adversely affected component geometrical accuracy. Considering both dimple suppression and geometrical accuracy, the optimal process parameters were determined to be 5 kPa, 120 °C, and 2 mm of interpolator thickness. Through MPFD modification based on the response surface model, the geometrical accuracy of the formed components was improved by 38.85%, achieving high-quality forming of the curved composite sheets.