OpenForm - A New Intuitive Graphical User Interface for Industrial Forming Simulation

Since the mid nineties sheet metal forming simulation has been widely used to take the uncertainty out of the die design process. When forming simulation was first introduced into the work of die designers the main focus was on the prediction of thinning, cracking and draw-in of the sheet metal. Later, the prediction of wrinkling, springback and surface defects became challenges finite element forming simulation packages had to cope with. While the prediction of thinning, cracking and material draw-in has now become a relatively easy task for numerical simulation, springback prediction and the detection of surface defects are still great challenges requiring advanced finite element simulation software and considerable expertise and experience in its application. More recently, hot forming simulation has added to the complexity of numerical simulation in the field of sheet metal forming. Since thermodynamical effects also have to be considered in the simulation of hot forming processes, even more experienced users are necessary to ensure that reasonable results are achieved. However, as a rule die designers are not numerical experts, and the use of more advanced finite element software remains a hurdle. Therefore, in the past, forming simulation software packages were assessed not so much by the complexity of their underlying physical models or the integrity of their numerical algorithms as they were for their user-friendliness and the efficiency with which input data could be generated even by inexperienced users. This is particularly reflected by the widespread use of so-called inverse or one step solvers. However, there seems to be a growing awareness among die designers that a rise in the quality of simulation results demands more advanced physical and mathematical models and therefore requires the use of finite element software that is, inevitably, more difficult to handle. As such, in a growing number of companies, more than one software package is used for sheet metal forming simulation. There is forming simulation software that is widely and efficiently deployed for the prediction of thinning and cracking but that fails to deliver good springback results. On the other hand, software that is used for more challenging tasks is often considered inefficient in everyday work. However, the use of different simulation software products increases the costs of numerical forming analysis considerably: not only because of additional licence fees but also because of costly training of staff members or even the engagement of new staff. While OEMs might still be able to cope with the problem of additional costs for software and training, for most of the smaller part suppliers an increase of CAE costs is prohibitive. To overcome this problem GNS has developed a new intuitive graphical user interface for industrial sheet metal forming simulation, called OpenForm. OpenForm is extremely easy to handle and can be used as a pre- and post-processor independently of a particular finite element forming simulation package. The software was designed to enable those who are not finite element experts to carry out multi step forming simulations with even complex multi purpose finite element codes.