Elevated Temperature Forming of Sheet Magnesium Alloys

The use of sheet magnesium for automobile body applications is limited, in part, due to its low room temperature formability. Elevated temperature forming of magnesium sheet could enable the manufacture of automobile body closure and structural panels to meet vehicle mass targets. The effect of temperature in improving the formability of sheet magnesium has been known since the 1940's; however, automobile applications for sheet magnesium still have been very limited. The present work characterizes the elevated temperature mechanical behavior of commercially available magnesium sheet alloys at temperatures between 300°C and 500°C. The materials are then evaluated using both warm forming and superplastic forming technologies.