Experimental and numerical analysis on cold forging of commercially pure aluminum

Abstract

Near net shape forging represents a manufacturing philosophy aimed at achieving components that closely approximate their final geometries in the as-forged state. Unlike a specific forging process, it emphasizes minimizing post-forging machining and material waste while enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The present work focuses on the preform design of commercially pure aluminium for closed-die forging conditions by analyzing its flow in the die cavity using Deform 3D software. The simulations have been conducted using DEFORM 3D V11.2 software to determine the optimal shape and size of the preform, thereby minimizing costly and inefficient shop floor iterations. The fully defined finite element model includes tetrahedral elements, refined contact region mesh, Lagrangian incremental solver, Coulomb friction formulation, and a calibrated nonlinear hardening law. Three preform geometries of equal volume were evaluated to determine the most suitable design for forming a 40 mm sphere. Experiments validated numerical predictions using a closed-die forging setup. Results show strong agreement in material flow, die filling, and energy trends, though quantitative deviations in forging energy (12.8%), ovality (1.9% simulation vs. 3.6% experimental), die-filling completeness (97.4% simulation vs. 95.1% experiment), and volume conservation (< 1% error in both cases) arose due to friction and strain hardening effects. The findings highlight the effectiveness of simulation in refining the forging process, offering practical insights for manufacturing complex components with improved quality and efficiency.