Finite Elements Modelling of Forming Processes a State of the Art Review

Abstract

Traditionally metal forming processes have attracted attention of investigators interested in developing analytical models of metal working processes. Upper bound and lower bound techniques are the results of such efforts. However, the shortcomings of these techniques such as the capability to get limited information (i.e. approximate determination of load and power only) and application to generally axi-symmetric cases alone remained major limi-tations. This remained the only analytical method avai-lable to the users of metal forming processes till late sixties and early seventies [1]. The situation started changing in early seventies when use of numerical tech-niques became common even for complex problems because of the availability of high speed computers. A very strong numerical technque, finite elements method, came into prominence and attempts were made to use it to solve the traditional metal forming problems of forward and backward extrusion [2,3,4].