Numerical Simulation of Axisymmetric Deep-Drawing Processes by the Finite Element Method (FEM)

Abstract

For the numerical simulation of deep-drawing processes the following nonlinear influences have to be considered: geometrical and material nonlinearity, contact and friction problems. For the evaluation of spring back effects an elastic-plastic constitution law is required. In order to show how the contact problem can be mastered — or in other words — how the penetration of two solid bodies can be avoided — a method of working with contact elements by using a penalty function will be introduced. Furthermore a simple description of various geometrical contact boundary conditions will be employed, combined with an economical procedure to handle arbitrary number of contact regions. Some typical convergence difficulties and modes to prevent these will be presented. The accuracy of the numerical simulation of an axisymmetric deep-drawing process is to be proved by comparing FEM examples with experiments.