DEFORM™-3D Labs

12. GEAR CARRIER (1999 GERMAN FORGING INDUSTRY

ASSOCIATION BENCHMARK)
12.1 Introduction

12.2 Planning the Simulation

12.3 Creating a New Problem

12.4 Loading Object Geometry

12.5 Defining Workpiece Mesh

12.6 Defining Billet Boundary Conditions

12.7 Defining Billet Temperature

12.8 Loading Material Data

12.9 Setting Top Die Movement

12.10 Assigning Simulation Controls

12.11 Running the Furnace Transfer Operation

12.12 Running the Dwell Operation

12.12.1 Setting Simulation Controls
12.12.2 Positioning the Billet
12.12.3 Assigning Inter-Object Boundary Conditions

12.13 Running the Upset Operation

12.13.1 Setting Simulation Controls
12.13.2 Positioning the Top Die
12.13.3 Revisiting Inter-Object Boundary Conditions
12.13.4 Activating Target Volume

12.14 Running the Transfer Operation

12.15 Running the Second Forming Operation

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12. Gear Carrier (1999 German Forging Industry

Association Benchmark)

12.1 Introduction

This is the second lab based on an actual industrial part from the 1999 German Forging
Industry Association Benchmark. This part will be used to illustrate realistic problem
setup. Depending on hardware and system settings, this problem will run from several
hours to a day.
The previous lab explained in detail the mesh settings used to optimize execution time

and problem resolution.

The Process:

Mechanical Press Forging

Tooling and Billet Geometry given for 1/12 (300) section
Billet: 31.5mm dia. x 67mm high
Material: DIN C35
Preheat: 1230C
Tool Temperature: 80C
Transfer from furnace: 7 seconds

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Dwell on die: 0.7 seconds

First operation: Flat upset to 9.5mm
Transfer to 2nd tool: 3 seconds
Second operation: Forge to shape.

12.2 Planning the Simulation

This is a two step forging operation with a relatively long dwell between the furnace and
the press. The first operation is straightforward and is not likely to cause difficulties.
The second operation is more complex and the results are much more difficult to predict,
which makes simulation useful. There are three possible approaches to simulating this
process:
Simulate the entire process in 3D, including heat transfer, upset, and finish. This is
straightforward to run, and accurately captures temperature and strain distributions in the
workpiece.
Simulate the upset in 2D, transfer the data to 3D, and simulate the extrude in 3D.
The 2D operation is easier to set up and runs very quickly. Translation to 3D requires the
use of 2D to 3D conversion utility, which is available with DEFORM™. Like the entire
3D simulation, this approach accurately captures temperature and strain distributions in
the workpiece.
Create the upset part geometry in a CAD model, and simulate only the second
operation. This method is quick, and requires less effort than running the full
simulation, but temperature and strain distributions will not be correct, and the
discrepancies will affect load calculations, and in some cases may affect material flow
behavior.
For this problem, we will run the entire simulation in 3D.

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12.3 Creating a New Problem

Create a New Problem called Gear_Carrier.

Simulation Title: Gear Carrier
Operation Name: Furnace Transfer
Operation Number: 1
Only Heat Transfer activated
SI unit system

12.4 Loading Object Geometry

Object 1: Workpiece: IDS_GC_Billet.stl

Object 2: Top Die: IDS_GC_Upset_Top.stl
Object 3: Bottom Die: IDS_GC_Upset_Bot.stl

Workpiece is plastic, tools are rigid.

12.5 Defining Workpiece Mesh

For a detailed simulation, we should keep a minimum of 10 elements across the thickness
of the part. Since the part will end at 9.5mm thick, we need the largest element to be
about 1mm.

Set the Weighting Factors to:

Surface Curvature 0.9
Temperature 0.0
Strain Distribution 0.1
Strain Rate Distribution 0.1

For the initial mesh on the un-deformed billet, a mesh where all the elements are 1mm
would be sufficient to describe the geometry. Mesh the billet using absolute mesh with a

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Max Element Size of 1mm and a Size Ratio of 1. These settings keep the number of
elements down at the beginning of the simulation when the geometry is relatively simple.

Later is the simulation, when the geometry becomes more complex, a Size Ratio of 1 will
not be sufficient to adequately describe the geometry. After the initial solid mesh is
generated, change the Size Ratio to 3, but do not generate a new mesh. The program
will use these new settings (Size Ratio = 3, Min Size = .33mm, Max Size = 1mm) any
time the billet remeshes during the simulation which will allow more definition for the
deformed billet geometry.

12.6 Defining Billet Boundary Conditions

Deformation: On each of the two symmetry surfaces of the billet, apply a Symmetry
plane boundary condition.
Heat Transfer: Assign Heat Exchange with Environment boundary conditions to all
surfaces except the symmetry planes.

12.7 Defining Billet Temperature

Set the temperature of the billet to 1230°C. Set the temperature of the tools to 80°C.

12.8 Loading Material Data

Import DIN-C15 from the material database (Steel category).

12.9 Setting Top Die Movement

The part is formed on a mechanical press with a 270mm stroke and a speed of 85
strokes/minute (1.4 strokes/sec). The total forging stroke will be the current height of the
billet (67mm) minus the final height of the billet (9.5mm), or 57.5mm. Also, this press
has a connecting-rod that is 1500mm in length.

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For the top die, set the movement to Mechanical press with the parameters shown
below. It is OK to define these movement controls during the initial problem setup, even
though they won't be used until the upset operation.

Figure 12.1: Movement control window

12.10 Assigning Simulation Controls

Set the simulation to run 14 steps at 0.5 seconds/step. Set Step Increment to Save to 2.

12.11 Running the Furnace Transfer Operation

Write the database and run the simulation.

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12.12 Running the Dwell Operation

12.12.1. Setting Simulation Controls

Operation Name: Dwell

Operation Number: 2
Set the simulation to run 7 steps at 0.1 seconds per step.
12.12.2. Positioning the Billet

After the furnace transfer is completed, move the billet down so that it is sitting on the
bottom die.

12.12.3. Assigning Inter-Object Boundary Conditions

Since the billet did not interact with the dies during the furnace transfer, no inter-object
boundary conditions have yet been defined. It is now time to define the default inter-
object relationships. Since only Heat Transfer is activated, only the Thermal tab can be
modified. Use the pull-down menu to set the Free resting value of the heat transfer
coefficient (1 in SI units) for the billet/bottom die relationship. Generate contact.

Write the database and run the simulation.

12.13 Running the Upset Operation

12.13.1 Setting Simulation Controls

Operation Name: Upset

Operation Number: 3

Activate Deformation, so that both it and Heat Transfer are on. Make the top die the
primary die.

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For a simple upset operation, around 100 steps are adequate. The forging stroke will be
57.5mm. Set the simulation to run 120 steps at 0.5mm/step and save every 10th step.

When movement controls were set, it was assumed that the press was 212.5mm into a
270mm stroke. It will travel another 57.5 mm before it should stop. Set a primary die
displacement stopping control of 270mm in the Z-direction to stop the simulation when
the mechanical press hits bottom dead center.

12.13.2 Positioning the Top Die

Position the top die so that it is in contact with the top of the billet.

12.13.3 Revisiting Inter-Object Boundary Conditions

For both relationships, assign a Hot forging (lubricated) friction of 0.3 and a Forming
heat transfer coefficient of 5. Generate contact between the billet and the dies.
12.13.4 Activate Target Volume

Go to the button for the Billet and set Target Volume to Active in FEM +
meshing. Use the mesh volume as the target volume, and set to compensate during
remeshing. (See figure 12.2)

Figure: 12.2: Target volume data.

Write the database, and run the simulation.

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12.14 Running the Transfer Operation

Operation Name: Transfer2

Operation Number: 4

After the first forming operation, simulate the transfer to the second station. Total time is
3 seconds. Use 6 steps at 0.5 seconds/step. Write the database, and run the simulation.

12.15 Running the Second Forming Operation

Operation Name: Finish

Operation Number: 5
For the second forming operation, it is necessary to import new tool geometry:
Top: IDS_GC_Finish_Top.STL
Bottom: IDS_GC_Finish_Bot.STL

For each of the geometries, define the two symmetry planes in the Symmetric surface tab
of the Geometry button.

Reset movement controls and set new simulation controls. For a complex forming
operation, 200 time steps is reasonable.

Set the stopping load to 1.0e6 N.

Write the database and run the simulation.

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