Finite element methods used in clinching process

Mechanical clinching technology, with the ability to join dissimilar, coated, and hard-to-weld materials, has been widely adopted in the automotive field. The finite element method has been proved to be an efficient and effective approach for investigating the clinching process. This paper comprehensively overviewed the recent advances in the application of finite element methods on the clinching process. The modeling methodologies of clinching process, such as material modeling, meshing operation, and contact definition, were summarized and discussed. The advances regarding finite element method used in various types of clinching processes were also reviewed respectively. Subsequently, the finite element methods used to conduct parameter study and strength prediction in the clinching process were introduced and reviewed. Finally, some outlooks about FEM used in the clinching process were proposed and discussed.