modelling of FB process: thermo-mechanical coupling method

1- A mixed FEM program is developed for handling the thermo-mechanical coupled large
deformation problem. To validate it, a representative numerical simulation of necking
problem has been conducted (and the result shows that it has the ability capture
thermal induced strain deformation).
2- The computational model has the major features like vee-ring, the ejector, edge radius
of tool, so that stress, plastic strain and temperature can be more accurately computed.
3- A successive re-meshing routine incorporated to develop FEM program. Which is
important to maintain computer accuracy and convergence.
4- To verify simulation effectiveness, a chessboard pattern mesh is pre-etched on the
cross-section of specimen using photochemical etching method. After FB the effective
strain was calculated in terms of deformation gradient tensor which was determined
from the deformed grids.
5- Using optical microscopy and SEM, material damage is checked at different stages. And
the transformation of microstructure during FB is revealed.
6- Evolution of damage is evaluated at different stages using damage mechanics. And an
energy based criteria (from classical damage theory) is used to determine critical value
of fracture at final stage

Processes associated with FB:

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Hydrostatic pressure
Thermal effect
Interface friction
Strain rate
Strain hardening
Damage softening

Large Deformation FEM:

1) 1997 -Application of the Finite-Element Deformation Method in the Fine Blanking
Process (T. C. Lee)
a) Theoretical analysis of FB process using rigid-plastic FEM

2) 1997 -Further investigation of the fine-blanking process employing large deformation

theory (T. C. Lee)
a) Direct application of large deformation theory in 2D deformation to axissymmetrical deformations

3) 1998 -A study of strain localization in the fine-blanking process using the large
deformation finite element method (by Z. H. Chen)

a) Updated Lagrangian large deformation finite-element method was developed for

solving metal forming problems with an incrementally objective mid-interval
integration algorithm
b) To avoid oscillatory behaviour, the GreenNaghdi stress rate (determined implicitly
by means of the rotation tensor) was adopted in the FEM.
c) consistent tangent operator and the NewtonRaphson iterative method used to
solve the incremental equilibrium equations
d) Hypo-elastic constitutive equations integrated numerically by projection algorithm
e) material assumed to be a low-carbon steel having a stressstrain relationship which
exhibits strain hardening and damage softening
f) A quasi-static analysis, thus dynamic effects are neglected
g) Numerical simulation of the process must associate with large plastic deformation
and rigid body rotation.
h) The study is a quasi-static analysis of the fine-blanking process, therefore dynamic
effects are neglected
Papers:
A) Experiments:
1) Paul Frauchiger, Beyond fine blanking, Manufacturing Engineering, August 1997,100-102
a. Examined the stress-distribution on the cross-section of a workpiece and showed
that fine blanking resembles coining much more than stamping.
2) P. F. Thomson ad J. S. Gunasekera, The mechanics of conventional and Fine blanking ,
International Conference on manufacturing Engineering , Melbourne (Australia), 8, 1980
75-79
a. Limited theoretical analysis and systemic research concerning the highly accurate
manufacturing process
3) T. Maeda and T. Nakagawa, Experimental Investigation on Fine Blanking, Scientific papers
of the Institute of Physical and chemical research, Vol. 62, No. 2, 1968, 65-80
a. Systematically conducted the experimental investigation on the flow pattern in FB.
b. They took indenting ridge type of blank holder, and discussed the effects of the
position of the vee-ring and blank holder on the properties of the blank edge when it
is subject to cracking.
c. Conclusion: there is an optimum position of the vee-ring in FB and counter force is
not so effective as blank holder force to improve the sheared surface quality.
However, the inner surface of the pierced hole depends upon the counter force and
the force is useful to ensure flatness of blanked parts.
d. They considered that in FB, the fracture zone between the primary and the
secondary deformation zones diminished with the improvement of the FB conditions
such as increasing counter force and adjusting the position of vee-ring.
4) R. Jhonson, B. Fogg and A. W. Chisholm, An investigation into the Fine Blanking Process, 9 th
Int. Machine Tool Design and Research Conference, Birmingham, UK, 1968, 9, 397-410.
a. Investigated FB in detail with a view to explain how cracking is suppressed at the
edge of the FB component.
b. The influence of blank holders indenting ridge on the stress-state in FB process was
analysed, using a possible slip-line field.

5)

6)
7)

8)
9)
10)

B)

1)

2)

c. Experimental investigation of how the blank-holder load, ejector load, radial punchdie clearance and the distance of the vee-ring from the line of cut, affected the
tendency for cracking on the blank edge to be prevented.
J. S. Gunasekera and R. M. Hobbs, Stable Shear Separation in Fine Blanking, Proc. 4th
Tewkesbusy Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, 1979, 10, 1-10
a. A review about the mechanism of shearing in FB within that period.
F. Rotter, Feinschneiden Dicker Bleche, Tag der mundlichen Prufung: 13. Juni, 1984
W. Koni, F. Rotter, and A. Krapoth, Feinschneiden Dicker Bleche Experimet und Theorie,
Industrie Anzeiger, 106, 1984, 24-28
a. Experimental research on FB of thick plate.
b. To suppress shear tearing in FB, the punch-die clearance should be small enough
and the blank holding force as well as counter force should be kept at a high level.
c. The surface hardness of workpiece edge is influenced by the punch-die clearance
and the counter force.
d. According to the experimental results, the life of a FB part is longer than made by
metal cutting methods.
T. C. Lee and L. C. Chan, The mechanism and application of FB Process, Asian Industrial
Technology Congress 93, 72-76
T. C. Lee. L. C. Chan and B. J. Wu, Straining Behaviour in Blanking process Fine Blanking
Vs Conventional Blanking, J, of Mater. Proc. Tech., 48, 1995, 105-111.
T. C. Lee, L. C. Chan and B. J. Wu, Further investigation of fine-blanking process employing
large deformation theory, J. Mater. Proc. Tech., 66, 1997, 105-111.
a. They studied the hardening behaviour and estimated the strain distribution on the
cross-section of FB specimens through experiment.
b. They pointed out that the application of vee-ring is to impose wedging force
perpendicular to the shearing force so as to reinforce the surrounding material.
c. They also found that due to severe plastic deformation, material inside shear zone is
considerably hardened and the hardness distribution depends heavily on the nature
of the process.
d. Loading the strip metal will pin it down rigidly in position and inhibit lateral
movement.
e. The hardened material restricts any rigid rotation that tends to encourage early
crack growth and limits the deformation to be within a narrow zone.
f. They also concluded that the principal strain increases significantly at the location
adjacent to tip of the punch compared to that at the location adjacent to tip of the
die.
Numerical Analysis:
To accurately simulate FB, all process features such as vee-ring, ejector, and the edge radius
of the tools must be taken into account in the model. Also, an element that is able to
capture strain localization should be developed for the simulation of FB. Also, considering
severe plastic deformation in a narrow area, the thermos-mechanical coupling effect should
be taken into account in the simulation
R. Johnston, B. Fogg and A. W. J. Chisholm, An Investigation into the FB process,
Proceedings of the 96th Machine Tool Design and Research Conference, Birmingham, 1968,
397-410.
a. Proposed a slip line field to analyse FB deformation.
J. S. Gunasekera and R. M. Hobbs, Stable Shear Separation in Fine Blanking Proceedings of
the fourth Tewkesbusy Symposium, Melbourne, 1979, 10.1-10.17.

3)

4)

5)

6)

a. Offered an improved slip line field.

b. By using slip line fields, the effect of the vee-ring on the stress-state at the shearing
zone was estimated.
c. They concluded that the use of vee-ring indenter causes an increase in hydrostatic
stress. Which counteracts the tensile stress in the shearing region.
d. The propagation of macro-cracks at the edge of the punch and die is inhibited.
e. These methods can provide some valuable information in analysis of metal forming
but the details of distribution and variation of stresses and strains as well as other
desired physical quantities at every moment during Fb is difficult to obtain.
W. Koni, F. Rotter, und A. Krapoth, Feinschneiden Dicker Bleche Experiment und Theorie,
Industrie Anzeiger, 106, 1984, 24-28.
a. Evaluated the distribution of some stresses for no more than 1/30 of the material
thickness being penetrated.
b. In order to avoid the tendency of divergence in their computation during the
balance iteration, a large clearance was employed deliberately. Thus the results can
only be used for reference.
W. Kubli, M. Maurer and J. Reissner, The use FE process Simulation in tool and machine
optimization of FB, Advanced metal forming machines, 1989, 369-377.
a. Did simulation by using the updated Lagrange formulation of FEM with a coarse
mesh.
b. They took a 4mm thick circular blank with 80mm diameter as an example for the
computation.
c. By accounting for the effect of the vee-ring and applying the re-meshing technique
to handle the distorted mesh, they reported some stresses and strain distribution
diagrams during FB.
d. They pointed out that the stiffness of the low order displacement element has been
overestimated according to the principle of the minimum of the potential energy,
and this error is particularly large for the shear stiffness.
e. To solve the problem, reduced integration and constant volume strain within the
elements were employed.
f. A relatively large clearance was adopted in the simulation and the effect of heat
generation was not considered.
g. Also the edge radius of the tools were not modelled in the finite element mesh.
T. C. Lee, L. C. Chan and P. F. Zheng, Application of the Finite Element Deformation Method
in the FB process, Journal of Material processing technology, 63, 1997, 744-749
a. Identified the effective stresses and strain distribution within the clearance zone by
using the rigid-plastic finite element model.
b. Element re-meshing technique was applied, still the maximum punch penetration
reached only less than 20% of material thickness and the edge radius of tool was
neglected.
c. Also, R-P model cannot be used to handle the unloading problem, a numerical error
may be inevitable in unloading or elastic loading region.
Z. H. Chen, C. Y. Tang, T. L. Lee and L. C. Chan, A study of strain localization in FB process
using the large deformation FEM, Journal of Material technology, 86, 1999, 163-167.
a. Adopted large deformation elastic-plastic FEM for fine-blanking simulation.
b. To avoid accumulation of errors due to rigid body rotations, an incrementally
objective mid-interval integration algorithm has been used.

c. Since the deformation in FB is very severe and localized, it was difficult to carry the
numerical calculation through to the end.
Large Deformation FEM
NLFEM: applied to simulate different metal forming problems involving finite strains and rotations.
The NLFEM simulation provides info about forces and power concerned dimensions, deformation
levels, residual stress, thermal evolution, etc.
Two major alternatives of NLFEM for metal forming processes were:
1) By Kobayashi: Rigid-plastic formulations in which the elastic deformation is assumed to be
negligible compared to large plastic strain.
But it failed to cope with the problems when unloading is encountered.
Papers:
S. Kobayashi, Rigid-Plastic Finite Element Analysis of Axisymmetric Metal Forming
Processes, Numerical Modeling of Manuf. Process, Ed. R. F. Jones, Jr. et al., ASNME, 1977,
49-65.
S. Kobayashi and J. H. Kim, Deformation Analysis of Axisymmetric Sheet Metal Forming
Processes by the Rigid-Plastic Finite Element Method, Symp. On Mech. Of sheet Metal
Forming, Ed. D. P. Koistinen and N. M. Wang, Plenum Press, 1978, New York.
2) By Zienkiewicz: Viscoelastic formulation method can deal with rate dependent materials. It
provided an approach to small strain analysis of metal forming processes.
Papers:
O. C. Zienkiewicz and I. C. Cormeau, Visco-plasticity Plasticity and creep in Elastic Solids
A unified numerical solution approach, Int. J. Num. Meth. Engng, 8, 1974, 821-845.
A. Onate and O. C. Zienkiewicz, A viscous shell Formulation for the analysis of Thin sheet
metal forming, Int. J. Meth. Sci., 25, 1983, 305-335.
Integration methods:
1) Implicit scheme: traditionally more efficient for quasi-static process. They permit larger time
intervals.
Efficient and reliable implicit algorithms for simulation of metal forming processes are made.
Papers:
J. C. Nagtegaal and N. Rebelo, On the development of a general purpose finite element
program for analysis of forming processes, Int. J. Num. Meth. Engng, 25, 1988, 113-131.
J. C. Simo, Topics on the numerical analysis and simulation of plasticity, in the handbook of
numerical analysis, Vol. III, Ed. P.G. Ciarlet and J. L. Lions, Elsevier Science Publishers B. V.
North Holland, 1994.
They were developed towards the calculation of stiffness matrix more efficient and reliable
in elastic-plastic analysis.
Krieg compared different algorithms for calculation of stress-state in a yielded material.
Papers:
R. D. Krieg and D. B. Krieg, Accuracies of numerical solution methods for the elasticperfectly plastic model, J. Pressure vessel Tech. ASME, 99, 1977, 510-515.
Amongst them, 2 popular methods are:
i.
Secant stiffness method (or mean normal method) proposed by Rice and
Tracey :
Papers:

J. R. Rice and D. M. Tracey, Computational fracture mechanics, in

numerical and computer methods inn structural mechanics, Eds. S. J.
Fenves et al., Academic Press, N. Y., 585-623.
The increment is split up into an elastic part and a plastic part. The effective
secant stiffness can be considered as a weighted average of elastic and
elastic-plastic moduli. It represents a mid-point algorithm
ii.
Radial return method: proposed by Wilkins and developed by others.
Papers:
M. L. Wilkins, calculations of elastic-plastic flow, in methods of
computational physics, Vol. 3, Eds. B. Alder et at., Academic Press, N.
Y.,1964.
More accurate and simpler, particularly for large strain increments. But
when classical tangent stiffness was employed (by Nagtegaal and Jong),
Papers:
J. C. Nagtegaal and J. E. de Jong, Some computational aspects of elasticplastic large strain analysis, Int. J. Num. Meth. Engng., 17, 1980, 15-41.
it led to a degradation of quadratic rate of convergence of N-R solution algo
commonly used in NLFE codes. Also, its use for stress computation i.e. the
integration of plasticity constitutive equations rate form, was inconsistent
with the calculation of traditional tangent stiffness terms, which was a
straightforward linearization of analytic rate equations. The consistent
tangent stiffness should be used for the same scheme as that used in the
computation of stresses and their derivatives. Up to now a class of tangent
operators consistent with the radial return algo have been developed based
on J2 plasticity with either the associated or non-associated flow rules. The
method has extended the applicability of the method to more complex
hardening rules.
Papers:
J. C. Simo and R. L. Taylor, Consistent tangent operators for rateindependent elastoplasticity, Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Engng., 22, 1985,
649-670.
J. C. Simo and T. J. R. Hughes, Elastoplasticity and Viscoplasticity
Computational Aspects, Springer Ser. Appl. Math. Springer, Berlin, 1989.
A. Luhrs, S. Hartmann and P. Haupt, On the numerical treatment of finite
deformations in elastoviscoplasticity, comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Engng.,
144, 1997, 1-21.
Simo and Hughes provided the numerical proof of the consistent tangent
operator with the full quadratic convergence characteristics in N-R iteration.
2) Explicit Schemes: Less efficient for quasi-static process. Numerical stability considerations
reduce the usefulness to short duration impact processes like forging and blanking.

Thermo-Mechanical Coupling Analysis Method

In high speed metal forming and metal cutting processes, large amount of heat is generated by
severe plastic deformation. Also, the thermal softening behaviour of material properties such as
Youngs modulus and flow stress is exhibited in most of metals.
Papers:

1. T. Altan and C. H. Lee, J. Engng. Ind., 94, 1972, 775.

2. P. Dadras and W. R. Wells, J. Engng. Ind., 106, 1984, 187.
Considered 2 major heat sources, induced by plastic deformation and die-workpiece interface
friction.
Calculated the temperature distributions of billet and die using FDM.
3)

N. Rebelo and S. KobayashiInt. J. Mech. Sci., 22, 1980, 699.

4) N. Rebelo and S. KobayashiInt. J. Mech. Sci., 22, 1980, 707.

Developed a rigid-viscoplastic FE formulation for coupled analysis of deformation and heat
transfer (but some internal parameters are needed for computing process).
1) S. I. Oh, J. J. Park, S. Kobayashi and T. Altan, J. Engng. Ind., 105, 1983, 251.
Used rigid-viscoplastic FEM to analyse isothermal forging of a titanium alloy engine disk.
They considered the effects of temperature and heat conduction on the forging process and
took into account the temperature dependence of flow stress.
2) J. Van Der Lugt and J. Huetink, Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Engng., 54, 1986, 145.
FEM using combined Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to incrementally solve the large
displacement elasto-plastic problem coupled with thermal problem. But they didnt consider the
heat transfer to environment and material properties that differ with variation of strain rate.
3) O. C. Zienkiewicz, E. Onate and J. C. Heinrich, Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng., 17, 1981,
195.
Used viscoplastic FE formulation to deal with flow of metals coupled with thermal effects.
4) J. H. Argyris and J. St. Doltsnis, On the Natural Formulation and analysis of large
deformation coupled thermomechanical Problem, Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Engng.,
25, 1981, 195-253.
Coupled thermo-mechanical problem under the combined action of large inelastic and elastic
deformation as well as of heat exchange.
Based on both the matrix method for the motion equation and the vector iteration for the heat
conduction equation, an integration procedure was applied for solution of the governing
equation.
5) L. Anand, J. Engng. Ind., 104, 1982, 12.
Proposed equations that approximate the rate-dependent deformation of metals at elevated
temperature. The expected strain rate temperature effects were clearly predicted by the
equations.
6) Z. Marciniak and A. Konieczny, J. Mech. Tech., 15, 1987, 15.
7) Z. C. Lin and S. Y. Lin, An investigation of a coupled analysis of a thermos-elastic-plastic
model during warm upsetting, Int. J. Mech. Tools Manufact., 30, 1990, 599-612.
8) J. J. Sheu and R. S. Lee, A numerical model for simulating temperature and speed
effects in hot extrusion of rod, Int. J. Mech. Sci., 33, 1991, 985-998.

Investigated characteristics of flow stress during the metal forming process by means of either
experiments or mathematical models. They adopted power laws to describe the materials
behaviour over a wide range of temperatures and strain rates. The constitutive laws were taken
as a function of strain, strain rate and temperature and the relevant material parameters. Their
results showed that thermal factor can promote strain localization.
9) J. C. Simo and C. Miehe, Associative Coupled Thermoplasicity at Finite Strain:
Formulation, Numerical Analysis and Implementation. Comput. Mech. Appl. Engng.,
98, 1992, 41-104.
10) F. Armero and J. C. Simo, A priori stability estimates and unconditionally stable product
formula algorithms for nonlinear coupled thermoplasticity, Int. J. Plasticity, 9, 1993,
749-782.
11) A. Miehe, A theory of large-strain isotropic thermoplasticity based on metric
transformation tensor, Arch. Of appl. Mech., 66, 1995, 45-64.
12) C. C. Celigoj, Finite deformation coupled thermomechanical problems and Generalized
standard materials, Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng., 42, 1998, 1025-1043.
Developed the coupled thermos-elastic-plastic FE model by using large deformation plasticity
based on the principle of maximum plastic dissipation which is consistent with the multiplicative
decomposition of the deformation gradient (i.e. according to the viewpoint of continuum
mechanics and thermodynamics).