FAST SIMULATION OF A FLAT CROSS WEDGE ROLLING PROCESS

In this paper, a new approach for a Fast Simulation of flat cross wedge rolling processes is presented. The approach is based on a preliminary research project of the Institute of Forming Technology and Machines (IFUM) of the Leibniz Universitat Hannover, in which a software prototype for a Fast Simulation of a radial-axial ring rolling process was developed. Both simulations are based on geometric-kinematic models that allow a faster calculation of the material flow compared to the Finite Element-simulation (FE-simulation). The goal of the Fast Simulation for the flat cross wedge process is to support the designer in the challenging design phase of the flat cross wedge tool as well as in the planning phase of the process parameters. In this phase it shall be easier in future to determine the best geometric parameters for the design of flat cross wedge tools, to attain the necessary material flow and geometry, before starting with the first FE-simulation. With this preliminary information from the Fast Simulation it will be possible to reduce the number of iteration loops for the time-consuming FE-simulations of incremental forming processes.