International Journal of Engineering Research and Development e-ISSN: 2278-067X, p-ISSN: 2278-800X, www.ijerd.

com Volume 3, Issue 3 (August 2012), PP. 11-16

Billet shape optimization for minimum forging load using FEM analysis
Sunil Mangshetty1 , Santosh Balgar2
2 1 Prof., Department of Mechanical Engineering, P.D.A.College of Engg,Gulbarga,India Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, P.D.A.College of Engg,Gulbarga,India

AbstractThe objective of this project work is to obtain an optimal billet shape in the consideration of the influence of the metal flow deformation in closed die forging process. Finite element method in conjunction with optimization algorithm (APDL) was used to analyze the effect of billet shape on forging load in axisymmetric closed die forging process. Finite element software (ANSYS) was used to Simulate closed die forging process and then performing a series of optimization iterations in order to obtain the optimal shape of the billet based on forging load minimization. The material used is aluminium metal matrix composite ( AlMgSi matrix with 10% SiC particles). The goal of the simulation and optimization process is to minimize the forging load and produce crack-free forgings. The optimal shape of the billet that gives minimum forging load was obtained after several optimization iterations. The approach used in this study could be extended to the optimization of more complicated forging products. Due to the advances in computer technology based finite element software, the forging loads can be easily estimated which is iterative process in the old technique of prototype built up and destructive testing. In the present work considering 3 critical design parameters with critical plastic strain limit as the state variable and keeping the forging load as the objective function and the billet shape is optimized for different diameter to height. KeywordsDie Forging, Finite Element Method, Metal Matrix Composites, Optimization.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Manufacturing Processes face major competitions in automotive industry to produce lighter, cheaper, and more efficient components that exhibit more precise dimensions, need less machining and require less part processing. Today forging industry is facing stiffer challenges from alternative manufacturing processes. Forging industry has to be cost and quality conscious if it has to maintain its position over other manufacturing processes. With the rapid increase in affordable computing power, metal forming simulation based on finite element method is becoming a practical industrial tool. By using such tool, a forge designer could decrease cost by improving achievable tolerance, increasing tool life, predicting and preventing flow defects, and predicting part properties. The optimization of forging process design and forging process plan for various work materials can be based on the maximization of production rate, minimization of production cost, minimization of die cost, maximization of product quality, minimization of forging loads. The finite element method provide a prediction of the results of a metal forming process, but still relies on an experienced designer to interpret the results of the analysis and modify the process based on prior knowledge and experience. Current research efforts have sought to use computational resources to enhance and optimize process designs based on a starting design, and improvement of the design is based on the process independent variables, dependent variables and objective function. The main factors effecting the material flow deformation are die shape, material properties, billet height/diameter ratio, and frictional condition at the billet/die interface. ANSYS parametric design language (APDL) is a scripting language that can be used to build the model in terms of parameters (variables). The APDL is used to build the model in a parametric form to enable changing these parameters during the optimization process, so that the optimal billet shapes is obtained. The design variable (DV) is as the billet height/diameter ratio. The equivalent strain is given as a State Variable (SV). The state variable is working as constrain in the optimization process, forcing the design parameters to be adjusted in order to have a strain not higher than the fractural strain.

II.

FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

A cylindrical billet is going to be forged to produce the final forged part shown in Fig. 1 with a minimum load possible by optimizing the billet height/diameter ratio. The billet is represented with initial radius and then the height is calculated based on the volume of the die cavity. The initial billet is represented with geometrical model consisting of assemblage of finite element. Equations relating the distribution of forces and displacements of the metal are established and the boundary condition and die movement are imposed.

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Billet shape optimization for minimum forging load using FEM analysis

Fig 1: Overall geometry of close die process Two dimensional geometry is represented for die, container and billet are shown with dimensions in figure 1. All major initial dimensions are represented in the problem. Ansys mixed approach is used to built the geometries. For die shape, bottom approach and other geometry top down approach is used in the problem. The geometry is built as per the dimensions and connectivity is not maintained to carry nonlinear large deformation contact analysis to simulate closed die forging process. 2.1 Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites Aluminium is the most popular matrix for metal matrix composites (MMCs). Aluminium alloys are attractive due to their low density, their capability to be strengthened by precipitation, their good corrosion resistance, high thermal and electric conductivity, and high damping capacity. Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) offer a large variety of mechanical properties depending on the chemical composition of the Aluminium matrix. Forging MMCs cause particles and whiskers breakage, and normally result in cracks at the outer surface of the billet. To avoid fibres and particles breakage which lead to cracks, the equivalent strain of the material must be kept lower than the fractural strain shown in Fig.2, which is = 1.05. The fractural strain is used in the optimization process as a state variable maximum limit.

Figure 2 Flow curve of AlMgSi+10% SiC particles. 2.2 Problem statement The main objective the project is to reduce the wastage of billet material and minimize the forging load required to forge that material by using finite element simulation in Ansys environment. 2.3Objectives Finite element model preparation. Finding the optimal billet shape for proper die filling. Finding the minimum forging load to get crack free forging product. Finding the material reduction error for experimental and analysis method. Finding the load reduction error for experimental and analysis method. 2.4 Material Description (AlMgSi + 10% SiC Chemical composition) Al Mg Si 86% 1% 3%

SiC 10%

Density (gr/cm3) 2.72%

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Billet shape optimization for minimum forging load using FEM analysis

Fig 3 Design Variables Design Variables (DV): D1 Die Movement, R1 Billet radius and H1- Billet Height The figure 2 shows design variables used in the problems. These regions are selected due to its critical nature in deciding the forging load and plastic conditions. Design variables are nothing but geometry construction variables like diameter and height. A total of 2 design variables are considered for optimisation of the design cycle for load optimization. State Variables (SV): Maximum plastic strain allowed for the problem equal to 1. Beyond which cracks will start in the forging process. Objective Function (OF): The load required for the forging process is taken as the objective function. Here the main work is to limit the forging load in the process by design optimising the process for design variables and state variables.

Fig 4 Contact Pair Creation Contact elements are defined between die and billet interface, billet and contaner interface. Targe169 and Conta172 elements are used for representation. Contact manager is used to build the contact pairs between the members. Target elements are the rigid elements and contact elements are the flexible members. Separate contact pairs are created with reduced penetration tolerance. A friction model of 0.1 is used for simulating the problem. Contact elements are the surface elements which have the algorithem to represent possible sliding and penetration which movement of the members relative to each other. The die nodes are used to apply the displacement loads. Contact elements uses lagrangian approach for better results. The status of contact, contact penetration, sliding etc can be observed in the contact simulation

Fig 5 Vonmises stress results for initial structure

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Billet shape optimization for minimum forging load using FEM analysis
Analysis results for vonmises stresses are presented above. Maximum vonmises stress of 330Mpa can be observed in the problem. Left picture is represented in 2dimensional domain and right side picture is represented in three dimensional domains

Fig 6 Displacement Plot along the length of the sheet The graph indicates displacement along the top nodes of the billet. The graph almost resembles inverse shape of die. The graph almost follows the curvature of die.

Fig 7 Stress Plot The results are shown in figure 7 for radial, hoop and vonmises stresses. Similar stress pattern can be observed for radial and hoop stresses. But vonmises stress is high in the beginning and later reducing along the path of the top nodes. Maximum stresses can be observed in the higer deformation regions where the members reaches to plastic state and lesser stresses in the lower deformation regions.

Fig 8 Contact Pressure in the problem Analysis results for contact pressure are shown in fig 8 Contact pressure indicates metal flow reaching to the container and interface condition of die and the billet. Higher contact pressure indicates higher closeness of the object.

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Billet shape optimization for minimum forging load using FEM analysis

S.No 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12**

Strain value (SV) 1.2164 0.99E+7 0.99E+7 0.99E+7 1.5184 0.99E+7 0.99E+7 1.7100 0.99E+7 1.5333 1.4360 1.008

Table 1 : ITERATIONS RESULTS Billet(DV) Volume Radius Height (mm3) (mm) (mm) 19 19.5 21550.978 20.473 23.087 21.493 21.178 21.328 22.554 18.887 19 19.001 19 21 28.393 25.988 27.824 20.681 27.606 20.742 19.521 19.5 19.532 19.509 24.962 37392.149 43522.52 40384.97 29143.89 39455.72 33151.56 21879.33 22118.109 22156.74 22128.32 34587.89

Force in KN (OF) 1587.2 9999 9999 9999 5203.20 9999 9999 83.023 9999 91.660 104.850 106.250

Observation INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE INFEASIBLE FEASIBLE

The above table represents optimisation results. The structure has been optimised for the design constraints and best set shown with* mark in the above table. Totally 12 sets are obtained for five design variables. The optimised forging load is shown as 106.250KN. The limiting strain requirement of 1 is very difficult to get due to higher depth of die in to the billet. To satisfy the requirements, large number of iterations is required by varying height and radius of billet. The only feasible set available is satisfying the design and state variables requirement. Table 2 : EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Volume (mm3) Load in KN Height (mm) 11.8 21.5 38910.528 11.7 11.6 11.8 11.6 11.8 11.7 11.8 11.6 11.8 11.8 11.6

Billet S.No 01 24 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Radius (mm)

Load in KN 115.758 114.777 113.796 115.758 113.796 115.758 114.777 115.758 113.796 115.758 115.758 113.796

Calculations 1) % of volume reduction = V experimentally - V analysis --------------------------------V experimentally = 38910.528 - 34587.89 ------------------------------38910.528 = 0.1110

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Billet shape optimization for minimum forging load using FEM analysis
= 11.10% 2) Force reduction = F experimentally - F analysis = 115.758-106.250 = 9.508 KN

III.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Simulation R=21 mm, H=24.962 mm 34587.89 Simulation 106.250

From the above calculation by ansys shows the following results. Case Experimentally Billet size R=24 mm, H=21.5 mm Volume in mm3 38910.528 Case Force in KN Experimentally 115.758

From the above discussion it shows the following results: As per Ansys results the billet size is (R=21 mm, H=24.962 mm) and experimentally the billet size is (R=24 mm, H=21.5 mm). The 11.10% of material reduction error can be observed in the measurement. As per Ansys results the force required is 106.250KN and experimentally the force required is 115.758KN. The 9.508KN of force reduction error can be observed in the measurement.

IV.

CONCLUSION & FURTHER SCOPE

4.1 Conclusion: Finite element analysis in conjunction with optimization techniques, are used to develop a system for the design of optimal billet height/diameter ratio of closed die forging process. The finite element model was built parametrically using ANSYS Parametric Design Language. The optimization Billet Shape Optimization for Minimum Forging Load module used the analysis file to search for the minimum objective function (forging load) by changing billet height/diameter ratio. The optimal set is listed in Table I (*set 12*) with billet radius (21 mm) and height 24.292 and forging load (106.250 kN). 4.2 Further scope: * Analysis process can be carried out with thermal effects. * Problem can be executed in three dimensional space * Impact analysis can be carried out to find behaviour of the members in contact. * Topology optimisation can be carried out to find optimum thickness required for dies and containers. * Composite usage can be checked.

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