Modified looping technique for remeshing of forming simulations with free surface folding

In finite element simulations of forming processes with a complex geometry, free surface folding phenomenon is likely during simulations when die design or the size of initial billet is inappropriately determined. In such cases, free surface geometry becomes so acute that mesh generation may be impossible with a conventional looping technique automatically. In order to solve this kind of problem, looping technique was modified to generate boundary elements for the acute geometry with a better mesh quality. The developed technique was implemented to the in-house bulk metal forming simulation program CAMPform and applied for forming simulations of ring gear forging and nosing in which surface folding defects occur. It was found that folding phenomenon was successfully handled with the currently developed algorithm and suitable process conditions to eliminate the free surface folding were determined through numerical simulations.