Investigation of springback behavior in creep age forming of AA2024 sheets used in the aerospace industry

Although inverse relationships among sheet thickness, forming pressure, and springback are widely reported in the creep-age forming (CAF) literature, limited statistically validated experimental data exist for AA2024 undergoing a T3-T81 transformation under industrial autoclave conditions. This study experimentally investigates and parametrically assesses the springback behavior of AA2024-T3 sheets, focusing on the comparative sensitivity of thickness (0.81–1.6 mm) and pressure (6–9 bar). Two-factor ANOVA confirmed statistically significant main effects for both parameters (p < 0.001), while a multiple linear regression model (R2 = 98.27%) was developed to quantify their influence. The independence of these predictors was verified using the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) analysis (VIF = 1.00). The results show that springback decreases from 68.4% to 53.0% over the investigated window, a trend fundamentally driven by stress-relaxation kinetics and the precipitation of fine S′ phases that stabilize the microstructure. Furthermore, thickness thinning remained negligible (< 1%), and the achievement of the T81 state was confirmed by hardness and electrical conductivity measurements. While the model provides a robust tool for preliminary mold compensation, its applicability is limited to the evaluated industrial parameter space and cylindrical geometry. These findings provide statistically supported guidance for optimizing CAF processes in aerospace structural applications.