<p>Advanced high strength steels (AHSS) exhibit significant higher springback and different fracture modes in forming processes and these problems cannot be accurately predicted using conventional simulation methods in many cases. In this thesis, new simulation technologies have been developed to improve the predictability for AHSS forming. The technologies integrated various aspects of simulation techniques, including development of material models and local formability criteria, calibration of the models with experimental data, and simulation method and parameter optimisations. Both laboratory and full scale parts were used to validate the simulation technologies developed. These technologies are originally applied to solve AHSS forming problems.</p> <p>The springback predictions have been significantly improved using the newly developed simulation technology. The technologies include the implementation of the smooth contact to reduce contact errors, modification of mass scaling to reduce dynamic effect, implementation of isotropic/kinematic hardening model and optimization of simulation parameters. Shear fracture (a stretch bending fracture on a small radius) have been successful predicted using Modified Mohr Coulomb (MMC) fracture criterion. Both laboratory experiments and full scale parts have been used to validate the predictions. Shearing and pre-forming effects on hole expansion and edge stretching have been investigated. A new approach was introduced to evaluate AHSS sheared edge deformation and quality by measuring material flow line angle change on a shearing edge. Shearing processes were simulated using MMC failure criterion and the sheared edge deformation has been integrated to hole expansion simulation to produce a more accurate prediction. The pre-forming effect on edge cracking has been investigated through both experiments and simulations. The limit strains have been measured by experiments. Simulation technology was also developed to predict surface strains of pre-form and subsequent stretching. Formulation of plane stress characteristics considering normal anisotropy have been developed and applied to analyze the flange deformations and optimum blanks for cup drawing. The method of plane strain characteristics has been used to predict earing throughout the entire cup drawing process.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Os processos de conformação de metais, apesar de sua extensa aplicação na indústria, tem seus projetos baseados principalmente em técnicas experimentais. Com o desenvolvimento e facilidade de acesso a computadores mais potentes, tornou-se viável a utilização de soluções numéricas como ferramentas de otimização das características do produto, do processo, bem como de seu custo. Um método numérico amplamente utilizado para simulação do processo de conformação é o Método dos Elementos Finitos, que permite a previsão do comportamento do fluxo de material durante a operação de conformação de chapas. Considera-se um blank com perfil ideal aquele onde a peça produzida a partir de sua conformação possua uma flange constante, minimizando ou eliminando a operação de retirada da rebarba. Com o objetivo de se obter o blank com perfil ideal para operação de conformação de chapas, desenvolveu-se uma metodologia de otimização geométrica da forma do blank, que trabalha integrada a um software comercial de análise pelo Método dos Elementos Finitos, o ANSYS/LS-Dyna3D. Apresentam-se os resultados aplicados à simulação da estampagem de uma peça prismática de base quadrada, como meio de validação da metodologia de otimização proposta. / The metal forming processes have extensive industrial application although their projects are based mainly in experimental techniques. With the development of more powerful computers, the use of numerical methods to design, simulate and optimize costs of such processes has become possible. Among the numerical methods, the Finite Element Method have large application in forming simulation, since it allows the prediction of the material flow during the sheet metal forming process. Ideal blank shape is that one which produces a part with constant flange, minimizing or eliminating trimming operations. In order to determine the ideal blank shape, this work developed a methodology to blank shape optimization. This optimization methodology has been integrated to a commercial Finite Element analysis software, the ANSYS/LS-Dyna3D. The results applied to a simulation of a square cup part are showed and discussed in order to validate the proposed optimization methodology.

São realizadas análises teóricas e experimentais do atrito nos processos de forjamento a frio, através do ensaio de compressão do anel. Os modelos de atrito de Amonton-Coulomb (μ), atrito interfacial (m) e de Levanov (f) são investigados com auxílio de softwares comerciais de simulação de processos de forjamento. Diferentes condições de lubrificação foram aplicadas para o aço baixa liga 16MnCr5 e a liga de alumínio AA6351 nas condições recozido e encruado. O atrito foi analisado, utilizando os softwares MSC.Superforge e Qform, em função dos resultados obtidos e as condições de lubrificação e estado do material. Valores paramétricos do atrito adquiridos através de correlação teórico-experimental são condizentes com a literatura, indicando a relação do atrito com o material de trabalho, inclusive com seu grau de encruamento. Os modelos de atrito m e f apresentaram maior sensibilidade com relação ao estado do material. / Experimental and theoretical analyses of friction in cold forging process are evaluated by means of the ring compression test. Friction models from Amonton- Coulomb (μ), interfacial friction (m) and Levanov’s model (f) are investigated by aid of numerical simulation software. Different lubricants are applied for low carbon steel alloy 16MnCr5 under annealed and work-hardened conditions. Friction is analyzed by means of lubricant and material conditions using MSC.Superforge and Qform numerical simulation softwares. Acquired frictional parameter values obtained by theoretical-experimental correlation agree with literature, showing friction’s relationship with workpiece material and its hardening level. Friction models m and f presented better sensitivity when concerning the material’s hardening level.

Forging temperature is one of the basic considerations in forging processes. In warm forging, the metals are forged at temperatures about the recrystallization temperature and below the traditional hot forging temperature. Warm forging has many advantages when compared to hot and cold forging. Accuracy and surface finish of the parts is improved compared to hot forging while ductility is increased and forming loads are reduced when compared to cold forging. In this study, forging process of a part which is currently produced at the hot forging temperature range and which needs some improvements in accuracy, material usage and energy concepts, is analyzed. The forging process sequence design with a new preform design for the particular part is proposed in warm forging temperature range and the proposed process is simulated using Finite Element Method. In the simulations, coupled thermal mechanical analyses are performed and the dies are modeled as deformable bodies to execute die stress analysis. Experimental study is also carried out in METU-BILTIR Center Forging Research and Application Laboratory and it has been observed that numerical and experimental results are in good agreement. In the study, material wastage is reduced by proposing using of a square cross section billet instead of a circular one, energy saving and better accuracy in part dimensions is achieved by reducing the forging temperature from the hot forging to the warm forging temperature range.

Semi-hot or warm forging is an economical alternative to the conventional forging processes by combining advantages of hot and cold forging processes. In this study, a new forging process sequence and design of the preform die for a part which has been produced by hot forging are proposed to be produced by semi-hot forging. Thermo-mechanical finite element analyses are performed over the stages of forging process. The billet and the dies are modeled as elastic-plastic bodies. Effects of preform die geometry on the die stresses and the forging load are investigated using finite element method. Comparison of the results obtained by using two different commercial finite element analysis programs is done for semi-hot and hot forging temperature ranges. The forging temperatures are determined for the particular part and the experiments are conducted by using the 1000 ton forging press. The parts are produced without any defects and material wastage in the form of flash is reduced. The numerical results are also compared with the experimental results and a good agreement is achieved.

In this thesis the sheet metal forming effects such as plastic strain and thickness changes in the crash have been investigated by numerical analysis. The sheet metal forming histories of the components of the load path that absorbs the highest energy during a frontal crash have been considered. To find out the particular load path, the frontal crash analysis of Ford F250 Pickup has been performed at 56 kph into a rigid wall with finite element analysis without considering the forming history. The sheet metal forming simulations have been realized for each structural component building up the particular load path. After forming histories have been acquired, plastic strain and thickness distributions have been transferred to the frontal crash analysis. The frontal crash analysis of Ford F250 Pickup has been repeated by including these to introduce the effect of forming on crash response of the vehicle. The results of the simulations with and without forming effect have been compared with the physical crash test results to evaluate the sheet metal forming effect on the overall crash response. The results showed that with forming history the crash response of the vehicle and deformations of the particular components have been changed and the maximum deceleration pulse transferred to the passenger compartment has decreased. It has seen that a good agreement with physical test results has been achieved.

Deep drawing operations are crucial for metal forming operations and manufacturing. Obtaining a defect free final product with the desired mechanical properties is very important for fulfilling the customer expectations and market competitions. Wrinkling is one of the fatal and most frequent defects that must be prevented. This study focuses on understanding the phenomenon of wrinkling and probable precautions that can be applied. In this study, dynamic &ndash / explicit commercial finite element code is used to simulate deep drawing process. The numerical experiments are compared with NUMISHEET benchmarks in order to verify the reliability of the finite element code and analysis parameters. In order to understand plastic wrinkling, the effect of blank holder force is investigated. Axisymmetrical numerical models of a cup are investigated with different blank holder forces. Wrinkling instability is illustrated in energy diagrams of the process. Effect of anisotropy on wrinkling is also discussed by comparing isotropic and anisotropic numerical experiments with the material as steel. Different drawbead models, both equivalent and physical, are implied to the problem and results are discussed. Besides numerical analysis, experimental verification is also conducted as conventional deep drawing operation by a hydraulic press. This yields to the ability to understand the effect of blank thickness on wrinkling formation through numerical and experimental analyses. The wave formations of different sized blanks with four different thicknesses are illustrated.

The Forming Limit Diagram (FLD) is a widely used concept to represent the formability of thin metallic sheets. In sheet metal forming processes, plastic instability may occur, leading to defective products. In order to manufacture defect free products, the prediction of the forming limits of sheet metals is a very important issue. FLD&rsquo / s can be obtained by several experimental, empirical and theoretical methods. However, the suitability and the accuracy of these methods for a given material may vary. In this study, FLD&rsquo / s are predicted by simulating Nakazima test using finite element software Pam-Stamp 2G. Strain propagation phenomenon is used to evaluate the limit strains from the finite element simulations. Two different anisotropic materials, AA2024-O and SAE 1006, are considered throughout the study and for each material, 7 different specimen geometries are analyzed. Furthermore, FLD&rsquo / s are predicted by theoretical approaches namely / Keeler&rsquo / s model, maximum load criteria, Swift-Hill model and Storen-Rice model. At the end of the study, the obtained FLD&rsquo / s are compared with the experimental results. It has been found that strain propagation phenomenon results for SAE 1006 are in a good agreement with the experimental results / however it is not for AA2024-O. In addition, theoretical models show some variations depending on the material considered. It has been observed that forming limit prediction using strain propagation phenomena with FE method can substantially reduce the time and cost for experimental work and trial and error process.

Producing axi-symmetrical parts with holes from tubular stock by tube upsetting is a frequently used technique in industry. There are basically four types of tube upsetting process / external, internal, simultaneous internal and external upsetting, and expanding of tube. In general, tubular parts require more than one upsetting stage. In industry, generally trial-error methods, which require lots of time and effort depending on experience, are used for the design of stages. Wrong design causes failures during production. On the other hand, the problems, which are likely to be encountered in manufacturing, can be observed and solved in the design stage by using finite element analysis. In this study, the finite element analyses of external, internal, simultaneous internal and external tube upsetting, and tube expanding processes have been realized. During the analyses, the part and the die geometries at the intermediate stages, which have been designed according to the proposed procedures, have been used. The stress and strain distributions and die filling actions have been observed during the process. The process design and die geometries have been evaluated according to the finite element results. It has been seen that the recommended procedures generally generate acceptable designs. In some cases, it has been noted that minor modifications may be required on the design.

WEAR ANALYSIS OF HOT FORGING DIES ABACHI, Siamak M. S., Department of Mechanical Engineering Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Metin AKK&Ouml / K Co-Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Mustafa lhan G&Ouml / KLER December 2004, 94 pages The service lives of dies in forging processes are to a large extent limited by wear, fatigue fracture and plastic deformation, etc. In hot forging processes, wear is the predominant factor in the operating lives of dies. In this study, the wear analysis of a closed die at the final stage of a hot forging process has been realized. The preform geometry of the part to be forged was measured by Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), and the CAD model of the die and the worn die were provided by the particular forging company. The hot forging operation was carried out at a workpiece temperature of 1100&deg / C and die temperature of 300&deg / C for a batch of 678 on a 1600-ton mechanical press. The die and the workpiece materials were AISI L6 tool steel and DIN 1.4021, respectively. The simulation of forging process for the die and the workpiece was carried out by Finite Volume Method using MSC.SuperForge. The flow of the material in the die, die filling, contact pressure distribution, sliding velocities and temperature distribution of the die have been investigated. In a single stroke, the depth of wear was evaluated using Archard&rsquo / s wear equation with a constant wear coefficient of 1&yen / 10-12 Pa-1 as an initial value. The depth of wear on the die surface in every step has been evaluated using the Finite Volume simulation results and then the total depth of wear was determined. To be able to compare the wear analysis results with the experimental worn die, the surface measurement of the worn die has been done on CMM. By comparing the numerical results of the die wear analysis with the worn die measurement, the dimensional wear coefficient has been evaluated for different points of the die surface and finally a value of dimensional wear coefficient is suggested. As a result, the wear coefficient was evaluated as 6.5&yen / 10-13 Pa-1 and considered as a good approximation to obtain the wear depth and the die life in hot forging processes under similar conditions.