Simulation and Optimization of a full drawing process
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Date
2012-10-08
Authors
Kaonga, Mathews
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Abstract
All sheet metal forming processes occur after permanent plastic deformation resulting in the material properties changing and therefore it is necessary to determine the extent to which a material can further be deformed for subsequent forming operations. Traditionally, experimental trial and error procedures have been employed to determine these changes and adjust process settings (dies, loadings, tool path) accordingly. However, this approach is time consuming and depends heavily on the experience of the tool designer. To address these shortcomings, sheet metal forming simulations have been applied instead. Although this alternative approach has gained acceptance in industrial sheet forming, most simulations are done on individual forming processes. This dissertation demonstrates the use of simulations to couple the forming processes by using Forming Limit Diagrams. Experimental verifications were performed to validate simulation results.
Blanking, deep drawing and bending processes were independently modeled using SolidWorks 2005 and simulated using Cosmosworks 2005. The workpiece material used was AISI 1023 carbon steel. For all simulations, the dies and punch were assumed to be rigid bodies made from alloy steel. The forming loads were determined using finite element analysis. The forming loads and the assessment of the forming limit for the material were obtained using contour plots of the stress and strain respectively.
The location of the critical areas on the workpiece that were obtained by using contour plots of the stress and strain for the blanking, deep drawing and bending simulations were in good agreement with the theory and experimental results. The results obtained from coupling deep drawing and bending processes showed that the processes are the major strain contributors in a production line. Blanking has less or no impact on subsequent processes.
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Keywords
Deep drawing(metal work) , Sheet metal