INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS FORMABILITY ANALYSIS USING 3D SHEET METAL FORMING SIMULATION

A sheet metal forming simulation code has been developed, based on the explicit time integration scheme and Mindlin shell theory. It has been used for the analysis of a number of industrial parts. After recalling some modelling issues, this paper describes an industrial methodology based on the experience of those analyses. The aim of the methodology is to provide, at early design stage, information on the product formability with a workload and lead time adapted to the design delays. Concurrently 2D analyses, critical zones studies and coarse mesh global investigations can be used, with a flexible number of iterations, prior to full refined analyses of the forming process. The application of the methodology on several industrial examples is discussed.