The application of the formability utilization indicator for finite element modeling the ductile fracture during the material blanking process

The purpose of researches presented in the paper was to achieve the numerical model of material blanking process for engineering purposes. The beginning and course of the ductile fracture phase has been modeled using so called “formability utilization indicator”. For this reason, the specialized subroutine for MSC MARC/Mentat software has been developed and implemented to calculate the formability utilization indicator, which functions also as a ductile fracture criterion. The original experimental and numerical methodology to determine the formability limit function has been developed. This methodology enables determining the function course based on the tension test and shearing of the original plane specimen with notch. FEM simulation for blanking has been performed for specimens made of sheet steel S355JR (thickness 3.5 mm) for clearance Lj = 0.5 mm and 0.05 mm. The fracture progress has been modeled by step-by-step deleting the segments, where the formability utilization indicator’s critical value has been exceeded. The results of modeling have been compared with experimental results, in particular attention to the cross-cut section shape.