Simulation of slab edging by the 3-D rigid-plastic FEM

A simulation of edger rolling with a 3-D model is made by the rigid-plastic FEM. The slab shape and the rolling force calculated by the FEM are in good agreement with experimental values for Al materials at ambient temperature and 2S-Al materials at various temperatures. A new method in which a very thin array of elements is attached before the entry to cope with the singularity point is presented. The method leads to simplification of the program, to improvment of the precision of the simulation and to acceleration of the convergence processes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.