Residual stress analysis of a 2219 aluminum alloy ring using the indentation strain-gauge method

Aerospace thin-walled rings are vulnerable to machining distortion during the manufacturing process. Various research results show that the main factor causing machining deformation is initial residual stress inside the blank. In this study, the residual stress of a 2219 aluminum alloy ultra-large rolling ring was measured by using the indentation strain-gauge method. Results showed the maximum residual maximum principal stress was +265 MPa and stress distribution was uneven. To homogenize the initial residual stress of the ring, an expansion method is proposed based on the principle of pre-stretching plate, and the feasibility of the expansion method was analyzed by establishing a simplified theoretical model of ring. A FE (Finite Element) model was established to investigate residual-stress evolution during the rolling ring and the expanding ring process. The expansion simulation results show that the reduction rates of residual stress were greater than 40% and the maximum residual stress was only 65 MPa.