DEFORM™-3D Labs

3. BLOCK FORGING SIMULATION & POST-PROCESSING

3.1. Introduction

3.2. Opening a Previously Saved Problem

3.3. Starting the Simulation

3.4. Post-Processing the Results

3.4.1. Step Selection
3.4.2. State Variables
3.4.3. Point Tracking
3.4.4. Slicing Objects

3.5. Exiting DEFORM-3D

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3. Block Forging Simulation & Post-Processing

3.1. Introduction
This lab focuses on running a simulation and viewing the results in the DEFORM™-3D
Post-processor.

3.2. Opening a Previously Saved Problem

If DEFORM is not already open, open it as you did in the previous lab. When the MAIN
window opens, click on the BLOCK folder in the Directory list and then highlight the
BLOCK.DB file in the file list.

3.3. Starting the Simulation

You are now ready to start the simulation by clicking in the list.

The progress of the simulation can be monitored as it is running by looking at the Message file.
Click the Message tab to view the Message file. As long as the option is checked,
which is the default setting, the Message file will refresh every couple of seconds.

The Message file provides information about which simulation step the simulation is currently
on and also gives information dealing with how well the simulation is running.
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When the simulation has finished, the following message will be added to the end of the
Message file:
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3.4. Post-Processing the Results

After the simulation has completed, click on under .

The DEFORM-3D Post-processor will appear. (See Figure 3.1)

Figure 3.1: DEFORM-3D Post-processor window

3.4.1. Step Selection

To select the step to be viewed, there is a step list pull-down menu at the top of the
window. Use the pull-down list to select a step.
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The icon can be used to bring up the STEP LIST window, which allows the user to
define more detailed step settings. The following buttons are also available for selecting
a simulation step:
First Step
One Step Back
Play Backward
Stop Playing
Play Forward
One Step Forward
Last Step

Play through the steps to look at the deformation of the workpiece.

3.4.2. State Variables

Some of the most commonly used state variables can be viewed using the State Variable
pull-down menu at the top of the window.

Select Strain--Effective from the list to look at the amount of deformation the workpiece
has undergone. Click the icon to bring up the STATE VARIABLE window, and
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select as the Scaling option. This option will use the global Min and Max
effective strain as the extremes on the color bar. Play through the steps of the simulation
to observe the accumulation of strain.

The State Variable pull-down list only shows a couple of the variables that can be plotted.
The icon can be used to access all of the state variable options.

3.4.3. Point Tracking

In DEFORM it is possible to track points in an object through the simulation. Not only
can the position of the points be tracked but also the state variables at those locations. To
open the POINT TRACKING window, click the icon.

We want to define several points on the undeformed geometry and see where they go as
the part deforms. To view the un-deformed geometry, click the button to view the
first step of the simulation. Now click three locations on the workpiece (See Figure 3.2)

(close to those shown below) and click the button.

Figure 3.2: Point tracking points

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Accept the default Tracking Option and click .

If Effective Strain was still being plotted in the DISPLAY window, then a Point Tracking
plot will appear showing Effective Strain vs. Time for the three points that were selected,
and the following will get added to the Object Tree:

If no state variable was being plotted when the points were tracked, then the following
will be shown in the Object Tree:

When a state variable is selected from the State Variable pull-down menu, the point
tracking graph for the three points will appear in the DISPLAY window.

Click the icon to play the through the steps. You will notice that the corresponding
step on the Point Tracking plot also gets highlighted as the steps change. Click the
icon to stop the step playback. Now click anywhere on the Point Tracking graph - the
selected step shown in the DISPLAY window should change to match the location
selected in the graph. (See Figure 3.3)
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Figure 3.3: Point tracking graph

3.4.4. Slicing Objects

In DEFORM-3D it is possible to slice an object and then view different state variables
within the object. Let's first hide the Point Tracking graph by right-clicking the Point
Tracking in the Object Tree and selecting the Hide Point Tracking option.
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Click the icon to open the SLICING window. The objects can be sliced in several
different ways. The objects in the DISPLAY window have a yellow rectangular box
surrounding them. By clicking on a vertical edge of the box, a horizontal slicing plane
will be created. By clicking on a horizontal edge of the box, a vertical slicing plane will
be created. Click the yellow box in several locations to experiment with this slicing
option. (See Figure 3.4)

Figure 3.4: Slicing objects

The slicing planes are defined by a point on a plane and a normal direction to that plane.
These are designated in the SLICING window by P (Point) and N (Normal).

The objects can also be sliced by selecting the X, Y, or Z coordinate of the Point and then
using the slider bar to drag that coordinate up or down. As the slider moves, the objects
will be dynamically sliced. Click the X coordinate of the Point, as circled below, and
then drag the slider back and forth to slice the objects.
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Figure 3.5: Slicing window

Several options are available for determining how the sliced surfaces are displayed. (See
Figure 3.6)

Figure 3.6 Slicing surfaces

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3.5. Exiting DEFORM-3D

When you are finished, exit the Post-processor by clicking the Exit icon. When you are

back in the MAIN window, exit DEFORM-3D by clicking .