experimental procedure

Application of numerical simulation to reduce the flash of a hot forged automotive piece Presenter: Germán Abate

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA INDUSTRIAL – INTI MECÁNICA Laboratory of Machining and Forming Process

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA INDUSTRIAL PRESENCE IN ARGENTINE

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA INDUSTRIAL - INTI FIELDS OF WORK •METROLOGY •CERTIFICATION •RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION •HUMAN RESOURCES TRAINING •INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION •TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EXTENSION •TECHNOLOGY FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION

INTRODUCTION The forging process Definition:

“Forging is a manufacturing process involving the forming of metal using localized compressive forces, with the material in solid state.”

INTRODUCTION An example of forging process

INTRODUCTION The forging process Properties: •A forged piece, has greater mechanical strength to withstand dynamic impacts or solicitations; •The plastic deformation process eliminates the porosity, and produces homogenization and a fibrous structure. Also reduces the grain size from the molten condition, increasing the toughness of the material.

INTRODUCTION Mechanical properties: •Fibrous structure – Fatigue resistance

•Smaller grain size – Increase toughness

•Saving material – Reduce Machining

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION Hot forging process procedure steps

Cut

Blocker

Preform

Final Form

Trimming

INTRODUCTION Application of hot forging process simulation •

SIMULATION TOOL DEVELOPMENT

•

COOPERATION WITH LOCAL FORGING COMPANIES

•

DEFECTS CHARACTERIZATION

•

IMPROVE EFICIENCE FROM THE DESIGNING PROCESS

•

VOLUME OF STARTING MATERIAL OPTIMIZATION

•

NECESSARY GROSS ENERGY EVALUATION

•

NECESSARY FORCE EVALUATION

INTRODUCTION Application of hot forging process simulation •

Simulation on design of new pieces to be forged, is used in the industry, in countries with high level of development and technology.

•

In Argentine only a few companies uses simulation

•

The aim of the Laboratory of Machining and Forming Process from INTI – Mechanics is to transmit the benefits of the use of this tool to the Argentinean Industries.

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA INDUSTRIAL - INTI Laboratory of Machining and Forming Process

Technical assistance to a spare parts factory

Automotive steering part

Factory

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA INDUSTRIAL - INTI First problem detected: •Starting material too big •Too much waste of material in trimming

Part selection analysis

Number of parts produced in 2013 Cumulative percentage

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE • The code selected for the analysis was the “103”

• With 26400 pieces produced en 2013

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Simulation of the original process

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Simulation of the original process – entry parameters Steel Starting Material Friction coefficient Preheating of dies

Press

Steps

Geometry

SAE 1038 Cylindrical bar Φ31,8mm x 178mm 1200 °C

Temperature 0,3 (according to reference values) 180 °C Machine Stroke Rod length Revolution

Crankshaft press 1000 t 230 mm 842 mm 100 RPM 2

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Scrap Reduction – Aim: Maintain productivity First proposal:

Performance : 1 Piece per blow Starting material: Round bar Ǿ23 x 110 mm Weight of the starting material: 356 g Material wasted for flash: 25 % Force during process: 306 t

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Simulation of the First Proposal

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Test in plant to the First Proposal:

Test in plant

Simulation

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Scrap Reduction – Aim: Maintain productivity Second Proposal: Performance : 1 Piece per blow Starting material: Square bar 25.4 x 95 mm Weight of the starting material: 475 g Force during process: 550 t

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Simulation of the Second Proposal

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Test in plant of the Second Proposal vs simulation

Test in plant (left) & Simulation (lower side)

Test in plant (left) & Simulation (upper side)

Results and discussion Comparison between the original process and the 2nd proposal

By the proposed process, it would be achieved savings in the cutting weight of 14%, the equivalent of save around 1,8 t of steel per year, just in this analyzed piece.

CONLCLUSIONS • The FEA of the hot forging process has been demonstrated a good correlation with the obtained data at the forge plant. • In this work, the simulation of a single piece that was already developed showed that there is an improvement frame through the virtual reproduction of new processes, without taking any risk of tooling damage, or either new costs due to time of the machine dedicated of trial and error process. • It is evident that, in order to increase the efficiency of the piece manufacturing process, it would be necessary to conform a preform (blocker) as a previous step, to the final forging stage. This would require the company invest in an auxiliary machine, particularly, a rolling forge machine. • The possibility to calculate the forging strain in a virtual way allows to take care of the involved machine, in order to avoid overloads and blockades that could lead to structural and precision failures. This kind of failures has a great cost of reparation, in addition to the lost profit due to the stopped machine.

Thanks for your attention! E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]