2.

BLOCK DIE POSITIONING AND PRE-PROCESSING

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Opening a Previously Saved Problem

2.3. Importing Dies

2.4. Setting Die Movement

2.5. Setting Object Temperature

2.6. Setting Material Properties

2.7. Setting Simulation Controls

2.8. Object Positioning

2.9. Inter-Object Relationships

2.10. Generating a Database

2.11. Saving the Problem

2.12. Exiting DEFORM-3D

 DEFORM-3D Labs

2. BLOCK Die Positioning and Pre-Processing

2.1. Introduction
The objective of this lab is to learn the fundamentals of setting up a simulation in
DEFORM-3D.

2.2. Opening a Previously Saved Problem

Open DEFORM as you did in the previous lab. When the MAIN window opens, click on
the BLOCK folder in the Directory list on the left side of the screen and then highlight the
BLOCK.KEY file in the file list. You will notice that a Preview image appears giving a
snapshot of the problem that was previously worked on. Click to enter the
Pre-processor. (See figure 2.1)

Figure 2.1: GUI main window

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2.3. Importing Dies

In the previous lab, a deformable workpiece was defined for the problem. Now it is time
to import the dies. At the bottom of the Object Tree, click the Insert object icon
twice Top Die and Bottom Die will get added to the Object Tree.

2.3.1. Top Die

Highlight Object 2 in the Object Tree and change the Object Name to Top Die. Define

the geometry of the Top Die by clicking and then . Go to the

DEFORM3D Labs directory and open Block_TopDie.STL. The geometry of the Top
Die should be visible in the DISPLAY window. It is good practice to check the geometry
of an object after it is imported into DEFORM to make sure it doesnt have any problems.

To check the geometry, click the button. A GEOMETRY CHECKING

window will appear which gives a summary of the objects geometry (See Figure 2.2).
For an object that has a closed volume, there should be 1 surface, 0 free edges, and 0
invalid entities (as circled below). Objects that are imported as surfaces and not solids
will have a free edge but should still only have 1 surface.

Figure 2.2: Geometry checking result window

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In addition to checking whether the imported geometry has problems, the orientation of
the geometry should also be checked. If the geometry is a closed volume, the correct
orientation is defined when the surface normals are pointing out of the object. When the
geometry is not a closed volume but is just a surface, the correct orientation is defined

when the normals are pointing toward the workpiece. Click the button to
view the surface normals, and if the surface normals are not correctly pointing out of the
object, click the button.

2.3.2. Bottom Die

Highlight Object 3 in the Object Tree. Click on the button and change the

Object Name to Bottom Die. Import the geometry by clicking and

then . The geometry is located in the file Block_BottomDie.STL. Use

the and buttons to check that the geometry doesnt have

any problems and that the surface normals are correctly pointing out of the object.

At this point, all three objects should be visible in the DISPLAY window.

2.4. Setting Die Movement

If any of the dies are moving, that movement needs to be defined. In this simulation, the
Top Die will be moving downward to compress the Block.
Click on the Top Die in the Object Tree. Since this is the object that will be moving, it

should be designated as the Primary Die. This is done by going to the section
and placing a checkmark next to Primary Die. To define the movement, click the

button (See Figure 2.3). The die will be moving downward at a constant speed
of 1 in/sec. Go to the Translation tab check that the movement Type is set to Speed. Set
the Speed field to a Constant value of 1 in/sec. The default Direction of Z is correct for
this simulation.

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What Is Current Die Stroke?

The current die stroke data under Object Movement is a measure of how
far the current object has moved since the beginning of the simulation.
In most cases (except when using the mechanical press model), the
current die stroke should be left at zero at the beginning of the
simulation, and it will update itself automatically as the simulation runs.
Any functions that are defined as a function of stroke will refer to this
current die stroke value of the primary die.

Figure 2.3: Movement Control Page

Click on to see the preview of the movement.

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2.5. Setting Object Temperature

Material properties such as flow stress are defined as a function of temperature, so even
though temperature is not changing in this simulation, the workpiece temperature should
be specified correctly. When objects are first inserted into the Object Tree, their
temperature defaults to a value of 68F or 20C, depending on which unit system is being
used. This corresponds to forming at room temperature, and can be checked by looking
at the Temperature field in Object Data. For this simulation, 68F is the correct
temperature and does not need to be changed.

2.6. Setting Material Properties

When setting up a simulation, material properties have to be specified for the objects.
The workpiece has been assigned the material type Plastic, therefore the plastic flow
stress needs to be defined. In addition, if the simulation were non-isothermal
(temperature varying with time), then the thermal properties would also be required. The
material properties of the dies do not have to be specified because their object type is
Rigid (and the simulation is isothermal), and therefore do not undergo any deformation
upon loading.

Click the Material icon to bring up the MATERIAL window. The workpiece in this
simulation needs to be defined as AISI-1035 steel. To import this material, click the
button and then select the material from the list. The materials are divided
into categories, so the Steel category has to be selected to bring up all the steel materials.
Also, there are two different AISI-1035 materials one for cold forming and one for hot
forging. Since this simulation is set for room temperature, select the AISI-1035, COLD
material.

After highlighting the material in the list, click the button to import the
material into the problem. The plastic flow stress data can be viewed graphically by

clicking on the next to the Flow stress pull-down menu. Click the
button when finished looking at the material data.

Now that AISI-1035, COLD has been imported into the problem, we need to assign this
material to the Block. Select the object to which the material properties has to be

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assigned. Click on in the object data window. Click on the pull down button
aside to the Material and select the loaded material to assign. (See Figure 2.4)

Figure 2.4: Material assigning page

2.7. Setting Simulation Controls

Click the Simulation Control icon to open the SIMULATION CONTROL window.

Click to view the time step controls. Verify that the Starting Step Number is
set to -1. The negative sign indicates that this is a step that is written by the Pre-processor
(solution steps written to the database during a simulation will be positive). Set the
Number of Simulation Steps to 65. Unless the simulation stops prematurely, the
simulation will run 65 steps. Set the Step Increment to Save to 5. Every fifth step of the
simulation will be written to the database. Notice that the Primary Die is shown in this
window as well. We had previously set the primary die to the Top Die, and it is this die
that will be used as a control for many of the stepping and stopping controls.

An appropriate step size for the simulation now has to be determined. For most
simulations, the amount of die stroke per step should be set to about 1/3 of a typical

element edge length. The Measure tool can be used to determine this value. Click

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the icon and then measure any edge length on the Block (you may have to click the

to view the shaded mesh). A typical edge length is about 0.12". One-third of 0.12" is
about 0.04". Under Solution Steps Definition, set With Constant Die Displacement to
0.04. Click on the button when finished to exit the SIMULATION
CONTROL window. (See Figure 2.5)

Figure 2.5: Simulation control window

2.8. Object Positioning

Open the OBJECT POSITIONING window by clicking the icon (See Figure 2.6). The
various positioning methods available within DEFORM-3D are:

Objects can be positioned by using the mouse to drag them around

the DISPLAY window.

Objects can be dropped in a defined direction, and they are allowed

to translate and rotate until they come to rest (a state of
equilibrium) against the other objects. Drop positioning is
especially useful when the starting position of an object is

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somewhat ill-defined such as an irregularly shaped billet settling

into a cavity.

Objects can be moved a defined distance by either specifying a

distance vector or by specifying the starting and ending points of
the move.

In Interference positioning, the object being positioned will be

moved so that it very slightly overlaps a reference object.

Objects can be rotated a defined angle about any axis.

Figure 2.6: Object positioning window

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2.8.1. Drag Positioning

Click the option and select the positioning object to be the Block. In the
DISPLAY window, click on the +Z arrow and drag the Block upward so that it is no
longer sitting on the Bottom Die. An asterisk gets placed next to the +Z arrow showing
that it is currently selected. Change the Positioning object to the Top Die, and use the +Z
arrow to move it upward so that it is no longer in contact with the Block, and then use the
-Y arrow to place it in the position shown below.(see Figure 2.7)

Figure 2.7 Drag positioning

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2.8.2. Drop Positioning

As an example of Drop positioning, let's drop the Block onto the Bottom Die.

Click the button and change the positioning object to the Block. Change the

Direction to -Z and click to perform the drop. (See Figure 2.8)

Figure 2.8: Drop positioning

2.8.3. Offset Positioning

As an example of Offset positioning, let's move the Top Die so that it is sitting directly on
top of the Bottom Die.
Click the button and change the positioning object to the Top Die. The two
methods of Offset positioning are 1) specifying a distance vector or 2) specifying the
starting and ending points of the move. Either of these options can use the mouse to
define the distance parameters.

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The easiest way to position the Top Die on top of the Bottom Die is to use the Two points
option. Select this option and select the points shown below as the Start and End points

of the move. Click the button to perform the move. (See Figure 2.9)

Figure 2.9: Offset positioning

2.8.4. Interference Positioning

The Top Die should now be sitting directly on top of the Bottom Die. Let's use
Interference positioning to move the Top Die back to its correct position on top of the
Block.
Click the button. In the positioning dialogue, the Positioning object should
already be the Top Die. Change the Reference to be the Block if it isn't already. Since
the Top Die has to move downward to contact the top of the Block, change the Approach

Direction to -Z. Click the button to position the Top Die. (See Figure 2.10
and 2.11)

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Figure 2.10 Object positioning window

Figure 2.11: Object interference

Note:At any time when in the OBJECT POSITIONING window, the button
can be used to return the objects to their positions prior to entering the OBJECT
POSITIONING window.

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When finished with this positioning, click to exit the OBJECT

POSITIONING window.

2.9. Inter-Object Relationships

Click the Inter-Object icon to define the relationships between the objects. Since no
relationships are currently defined, a pop-up will appear asking whether you want the

system to add the default relationships for you. Click .

The INTER-OBJECT window will appear with two relationships already defined.
Relationships within DEFORM are defined in relation to Master and Slave objects. In
this simulation, a deforming workpiece is being deformed between two rigid dies. The
rigid dies are defined as the Master objects and the deforming workpiece is defined as the
Slave object.

Several interface properties (mainly friction and heat transfer coefficient) can be defined
for each of these relationships. Since this simulation will not be taking into account any
heat transfer, the only interface property that needs to be defined is friction. (See Figure
2.12)

Figure 2.12: Inter Object window

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With the first relationship highlighted, click the button to modify the
relationship. In the friction section of the screen, there is a pull-down menu that allows
the user to choose the appropriate friction conditions of common forming processes.
Since this simulation takes place at room temperature, and the dies are steel, use the pull-
down menu and select Cold forming (steel dies) from the list(See Figure 2.13). A
friction value of 0.12 will automatically be selected. Click the button to
return to the main INTER-OBJECT window.

Figure 2.13: Inter object data definition window

Now that the Top Die - Block relationship has been defined, the relationship between the
Bottom Die and the Block needs to be defined. Since the friction conditions are the same

between the workpiece and both of the dies, the button can be used to
copy the interface properties from the first relationship to all of the others. After this is
done, both relationships will have a friction of 0.12 defined. (See Figure 2.14)

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Figure 2.14: Inter object window

Once the relationships are defined, contact between the objects needs to be generated.
When contact is generated, any nodes on the deforming object (Slave) that fall within a
specified tolerance of a die (Master) are repositioned onto the die surface.

Before generating contact, we need to determine a reasonable tolerance value. Too large
a tolerance will put too many nodes in contact with the die surface, which may cause
distortion of the workpiece mesh. Too small a tolerance will mean that too few nodes are
found in the contact band and very little contact will be generated. By clicking on the

icon in the Tolerance section, DEFORM will determine a reasonable tolerance

value. A tolerance of 0.0112" gets calculated and automatically gets input into the
program.

Once this tolerance has been set, click the button to generate the contact
between the objects. Contact will get generated between the Block and both dies, and this
contact is shown in the DISPLAY window as colored dots on the top and bottom surface
of the Block.

Note: If too large a tolerance is used when generating contact, and the mesh of the

workpiece gets distorted, the button can be used to undo the contact
generation.
Once contact has been generated, click the button to close the INTER-
OBJECT window.

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2.10. Generating a Database

Once the problem has been completely set up, the last step is to generate a database file.
The FEM engine (the part of DEFORM that calculates the solution) uses a database file
to store the finite element solutions for the problem. When you generate a database in the
DEFORM Pre-processor, all of the information defined in the Pre-processor (such as the
material properties, movement controls, object geometries, etc.) is transferred to the
database file.

Click on the button to open the DATABASE GENERATION window. Click the
button to have the program check to see if anything was missed in the
problem setup. During the checking process:
signify data that needs to be fixed before a simulation can be run (such as when you
forget to define any material data).
signify data that the program thinks is either wrong or out of the ordinary.
A database can still be generated if there are some fields with next to them, but the user
should check to make sure that each one is OK.

For this simulation, there is a dealing with Volume Compensation. This option will be
explained in a later lab, and the current setting is OK for this simulation. Click on the
button to generate the database. When the program is done writing the

database, click the button.

2.11. Saving the Problem

The database for the problem (Block.DB) was just generated, which is needed to run a
simulation. It is good practice to also save a keyword file for the problem. By clicking

the Save icon, a keyword file called Block.KEY will be saved. Click to return to
the MAIN window.

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2.12. Exiting DEFORM-3D

If you are continuing on to Lab 3, it is not necessary to exit DEFORM-3D.

If you are not continuing on to Lab 3, you can exit DEFORM-3D by selecting . When
asked click on the button.

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