Estudo da viabilidade técnica de coletores solares conformados por estampagem incremental de chapas de alumínio

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the technical feasibility of Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) in the shaping of channels in 1200 H14 aluminum sheets, with applications focused on thermal solar collectors. Incremental forming allows for localized plastic deformations without the need for rigid dies, making it ideal for flexible production and complex geometries. To evaluate the material's formability, Nakajima tests were performed, enabling the construction of the Forming Limit Curve (FLC), which indicated principal strains ($\varphi_1$) near 0.18 in the critical region, demonstrating good stampability. Plastic deformation characterization was carried out using the visioplasticity technique, employing circular markings to analyze the elongation of the ellipses post-process. The obtained fracture line reached $\varphi_1$ values exceeding 1.0, indicating that the material can withstand high levels of deformation before rupture, reinforcing its suitability for the SPIF process. In the thermal stage, the formed plates were subjected to computational simulations of energy efficiency. The results showed a stable and uniformly distributed thermal behavior across the formed channels, with thermal efficiency values close to those obtained in conventional collectors with copper tubes. This functional equivalence, combined with cost reduction and process flexibility, highlights the potential of using incremental forming in the manufacture of metallic thermal components for solar energy systems