Finite element modelling of cold drawing inner finned tube

Abstract

The cold forming method and the process of the die drawing tubes are ranked among frequently used methods of production. The aim of this paper is the research of using Finite Element Method for analyses of the cold drawing process to produce tubes with the contoured internal surface. This is the process of pulling the tube through a die using a fixed mandrel whose shape is designed to achieve the shape of the inner finned tube. Commercial software DEFORM 3D is used for numerical simulation. The size and shape of the forming tools are designed by following the real requirements of industrial production for the shape of the resulting tubes. The input parameter, such as the material model and the initial boundary conditions of the simulation, is determined based on previous real experiments and investigations. The result of the analysis is an assessment of the stress-strain process of the forming as well as the resulting tube in the individual cross-sections of the tube ribs. The result of the numerical simulation assists in the understanding of the technological processes of forming, defining the necessary plastic properties of the formed material as well as in the construction of the forming tools.