Implicit scheme for contact analysis in non‐steady state forming

The finite element analysis of deformation of viscoplastic material involves contact between the tool and the workpiece. Here unilateral contact condition with the possibility of nodes originally in contact, losing contact subsequently, is analysed in non‐steady state forming processes. Friction has been taken into consideration through a potential function. Node to node contact is analysed and contact forces at the node are used to decide if the node is to be released. Two different algorithms are presented for treating the nodal contact condition. The one step explicit method with projections on the surface of contact was already implemented in the FORGE2^® software. An implicit scheme is proposed and compared with the existing scheme. The advantages of this scheme are numerically shown by solving some examples. It is observed that the volume losses are reduced. This makes it possible to use larger time steps or increase the computational accuracy.