Simulation of sheet metal forming, method of opportunities
Finite element simulation of sheet metal forming is an established technology for analysis, improvement and problem solving in the field of sheet metal forming. All companies with sheet metal forming operations, irrespective of size, can benefit from having access to sheet metal forming simulation, either by carrying it out themselves or buying the service from someone else.
Swerea IVF has built up long-term simulation activities for sheet metal forming in order to study all aspects of sheet metal forming in a digital laboratory. Our calculation tools allow us to carry out analyses and work on all types of sheet metal forming processes. We can study the outcome of forming a single component at a number of process stages such as the risk of rupture, thinning and shape deviations in the component. This type of study may be based on the question of what happens if you switch to another material in a component. Likewise, there may be a need to find process parameters or alternative tooling solutions that better meet the product requirements based on current materials and available equipment and tools.
In addition, we can provide robustness studies based on variations in process and material data, which is an area undergoing strong development. This is where we can give results in terms of process windows for manufacturing a product, which is valuable information allowing our customers to achieve error-free production. Predicting tool wear and modelling friction behaviour based on functional external parameters are examples of tasks we can perform, based on the research we conduct in sheet metal forming with other key players in the field.
Using optimisation the opportunities to study and develop products made out of sheet metal forming and sheet metal forming processes to take full advantage of today's high-strength materials become almost unlimited. The important thing then, as always, is to begin this work as early as in the concept phase to maximise the opportunities.
Software
Our tools for simulating sheet metal forming are mainly LS-Dyna, Radioss, HyperForm, HyperStudy and MATLAB as well as some proprietary code.