Computer simulation of the technology for AK4-1 alloy die forging production for an internal combustion engine piston

Abstract

The process of hot die forging of AK4-1 aluminum alloy billets for the piston of an internal combustion engine (ICE) for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was simulated using the Deform-3D software package. The object of research was an ICE piston mounted on one of the UAV types of Russian production. Simulation was performed using the following parameters: tooling and billet temperature was 450 °C, ambient temperature was 20 °C, punch speed was 5 mm/s, and Siebel friction index was 0.4. Rigid plastic medium was chosen as a material model. The number of elements (6000) was selected so that at least 3 elements fit in the narrowest section of the part. Thus, as illustrated by the piston die forging, computer simulation in the Deform-3D software makes it possible to develop hot die forging processes for making aluminum alloy billets for UAV ICE pistons. At the same time, computer simulation can be used to evaluate the power parameters of the hot die forging process, study the nature of billet forming in die forging, make necessary adjustments to the virtual process, and develop the design of a die forging tool in order to select the most effective process solutions when designing a real process. The described computer simulation technique can be extended to other aluminum alloy die forgings.