Finite element modelling of hot metal forming
Résumé
The most cruial problems for the finite element modelling of hot metal forming processes are the thero-mechanical coupling, large plastic deformations and dramatic evolution of the mesh. In order to meet these needs a special finite element code was developed. The material behaviour is assumed to be incompressible visco-plastic (Norton-Hoff law) with the associated friction law and thermal coupling. The velocity field is calculated with a finite element approximation using six node triangular elements with automatic remeshing. In this paper, the theoretical basis of the aforementioned finite element code with one of its salient features, viz., automatic mesh-regeneration, is briefly explained and the results of finite element simulation of hot extrusion of an industrial component are presented.