WCA July 2014

Technology news

Improved version of simulation software

SIMUFACT Engineering has upgraded version 12 of the simulation software Simufact.forming with improvements for cold metal forming companies. As one of the features the new AFS technology bundles functions for the simulation of cold metal forming processes, which provides usability benefits to the customer. Simufact.forming covers a wide range of different forming processes in the metalworking and metal processing industry. The software is primarily aimed at machinery and plant engineering companies, the automotive and the aerospace industry, as well as sector-related suppliers. Highly relevant for the cold forming, also from an economic perspective, is – besides the forming of the component – the tool analysis, particularly tool life. The characteristic yield stresses and the material hardening require great pressing forces and reveal the forming tools to be used. The tool resistance, highly relevant for cold forming processes, can often only be attained by a supporting reinforcement. Therefore the simulation has to consider all relevant framework conditions including the tool reinforcement and the material flow. Essential for a high-precision simulation of cold forming processes is the realistic presentation of the forces involved in the forming process while taking into account the effects of spring back and the elastic-plastic material laws – features that are all provided by Simufact.forming. With the latest product version, Simufact.forming 12, Simufact introduced the newly developed AFS technology (Application Function Sets). After starting the software, the user can now decide for a specific field of application. Specific process-depending setups, such as the selection of the appropriate solver, are displayed, while specific functions for other application fields are hidden. As a result, the functions for cold metal forming are bundled and the software

limits itself to the process-relevant functions. This greatly improves the usability of the software: streamlined and simplified, the use becomes more intuitive, faster and more effective. Besides the cold metal forming, Simufact.forming can be applied for hot forming, sheet metal forming, rolling, ring rolling, open die forging, heat treatment and mechanical joining processes. Simulation software supports finding answers to urgent matters. Often a simulation-based feasibility analysis shows whether or not the component, requested, can be realised. For those striving to avoid mistakes in series production, process simulation has become an indispensable tool to simulate several manufacturing approaches simultaneously, to differentiate between good and bad approaches and to decide on the most suitable one. Such an experimental try-out approach would be significantly more expensive and uneconomical in real-life testing. Even without an experimental approach, a reduction of the number of trial runs remains worthwhile. By virtual testing, the results of multistage manufacturing processes can be predicted. Simufact.forming combines the individual stages and calculates multistage processes in a single run; the required transfer and increase of results (2D-3D) as well as the positioning of the die are automatic functions. Simufact Engineering – Germany Website : www.simufact.de ❍ Software improvements for cold metal forming companies

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Wire & Cable ASIA – July/August 2014