Strategies for increasing the accuracy of sheet metal forming finite element models

Abstract

Accurate modelling of sheet metal forming can contribute significantly to reduction of lead time and development costs in manufacturing industries. The current way to improve the finite element model accuracy is to combine advanced constitutive material models and advanced tribological models. For model validation purposes the geometry of the forming tools needs to be updated and the most relevant parameters of the forming press needs to be incorporated. The addition of a simple and easier to control model test can offer additional information on difficult to characterize parameters of the industrial process. The industrial validation case presented in this paper demonstrates that the Tata Steel constitutive material model has similar prediction capability as the state of the art material model used at Volvo Cars for regular process development for automotive parts production. In both industrial and model tests the tribological system appears to affect significantly the overall model accuracy. The model tests suggests that further work is needed in order to improve the tribological model description at high contact pressure and high strain levels.