Modelling Metal Forming Processes with a 3-D Eulerian Finite Volume Method

The aim of the project is to develop new, more accurate and much faster numerical algorithms for the simulation of metal flow in processes involving metal forming. This will be carried out in the framework of 3-D Finite Volume (FV) formulation. It is expected that this new formulation will reduce the necessary CPU-time dramatically compared to the traditional Finite Element (FE) methods. These are often in 3-D analysis of metal forming accompanied by very large CPU-times due to remeshing in which the FE-mesh distorts together with the geometry while attempting to follow the deformation of the solid material (Lagrangian formulation). Moreover, the accuracy of the FE-solution can be severely damaged by distorted elements.It is the idea of the project to overcome these problems by applying a 3-D finite volume formulation based on a Eulerian approach where the mesh is fixed and the metal flows through it. The FV method based on a Eulerian formulation is common practice for material flow simulations in a wide range of processes, e.g. mould filling in casting, melt pool modelling in welding and droplet atomisation in spray forming. Metal forming processes typically involves large material flow as well. The proposed Eulerian Finite Volume method is particularly suited for simulating the large material deformations appearing in metal forming operations, and at the same time eliminates the need for volume remeshing techniques, commonly considered the main bottleneck in 3-D forming simulations based on Lagrangian FE formulations. Due the difficulties outlined, 3-D forming simulation based on the conventional FE technology is still not being readily implemented in the metal forming industry, and application and translation of 3-D simulation results into forging practice have shown very little success while 2-D analysis today is commonly applied in industry.Considering the complexity of the problem it is by no means expected to reach the development of a complete industrial simulation tool within the four years frame of the project, but it is expected that a sound foundation for such a development will be made.