Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 (2014) pp 888-893 Submitted: 25.04.

2014
Online available since 2014/Jul/15 at www.scientific.net Revised: 16.05.2014
© (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Accepted: 19.05.2014
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.592-594.888

EXTRACTION OF PROCESS PARAMETERS FROM A SHEET METAL

PART MODEL
PothalaSreenu, Ravi Kumar Gupta
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Silchar- 788010, India.
Email: sreenupothala037@gmail.com, rkg@nits.ac.in

Key words: Feature Reasoning, Process Parameters, Sheet metalfeature, sheet metal operation.

ABSTRACT: Process planning in a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) requires integrated

system for design and manufacturing activities. For sheet metal part, feature recognition and feature
reasoning of a product model for process planning is an essential component of CIM environment.
Research work for feature recognition and reasoning has been addressed in literature, which is
limited to the geometric and topological information but actual process parameters requited for
manufacturing operation is still an open issue. Our research is for extraction of process parameters
from a sheet metal part model which is in STEP Format. These process parameters can be used in
sheet metal manufacturing to control the operations.
This paper presents extraction of process parameters for a sheet metal feature from a sheet metal
part model (STEP Format). This work then formulates the feature processes in terms of extracted
process parameters, material properties, sheet metal dimension and feature dimension. The actual
operation in real manufacturing environment is identified as extension of the proposed work. The
extraction of process parameters for sheet metal operation is demonstrated with case studies.

INTRODUCTION:
Present days usages of sheet metal parts become more important in diverse engineering
applications. CAD/CAM systems provide flexibility and automation. Even so there is interaction
gap between CAD and CAM. The void between CAD and CAM can only be filled by automatic
manufacturing and process planning activities. Manufacturing planning plays a vital role in
determining the effective use of resources and smooth production flow. For a given sheet metal
component this involves determination of operations and parameters are required to obtain a
component from a flat sheet metal. Sheet metal forming processes are those in which force is
applied to a piece of sheet metal to modify its geometry rather than remove any material. Sheet
metal forming is an industrial process that strongly depends on numerous interactive variables like
geometric parameters, process parameters, material properties. The extraction of process parameters
is follows initial extraction of feature information from a sheet metal part model (STEP Format) by
using feature recognition module, then utilizing extracted feature information, material properties of
sheet metal and tool information for extracting process parameters.

LITERATURE REVIEW:
The feature reasoning is deals with manufacturing information required to produce feature,
commonly information like blank size, location of various features, internal cuts, types of tools
required, operation sequence and process parameters etc.
Jae-Junand Gyung-Jin[1] proposed optimization of process parameters (blank holding force and
draw bead restraining force) response surface method. But process parameters are specified
manually but by using this new algorithm process parameters can extracted and optimized
automatically.Liuand Tai[2] proposed optimal design for flat pattern development by enumerating
trees of face adjacency graphs and potential topological unfolding of the structure. Kannan and
Shunmugam[3] Proposed feature reasoning method to extract manufacturing information like blank
size, types of tools required and operation sequence by using the extracted feature information and
feature topological properties. In the paper flat pattern development is achieved by graphically
flattening each feature of sheet metal part model and tool selection is by single blow features and

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 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 889

multi blow features. But actual process parameters required for feature operation are not considered.
Guptaet al.[4]proposed automated process planning activates for sheet metal bending operations,
flat pattern development for sheet metal part and tool geometry for the desired feature. Qiang et
al.[5] proposed optimization of sheet metal forming parameters by sequential optimization
algorithms.
Kannan and Shunmugam[6],Gupta and Gurumoorthy[7],Liu et al.[8], Woo and Sakurai[9] and
Byung and Duhwan[10] proposed different feature recognition methods for recognizing and
extracting for sheet metal features from sheet metal part models which can extract feature type, size
and thickness of sheet metal. This paper utilizes extracted information for extracting process
parameters.
Feature recognition methods are well established and are also used in commercial feature based
modeling software like Geometric Solution, CATIA, Pro-E etc. But feature reasoning method for
manufacturing processes and identification of necessary process parameters for a sheet metal
operation is still an open issue. Available feature recognition methods [6,7,8] can extracttype and
shapeof the sheet metal features. The extraction of actual process parameters required for
manufacturing a sheet metal feature in a manufacturing set up is not addressed in the available
literatures.

TERMINOLOGY:
Thickness (t): It is the minimum of the shortest distance between pairs of faces that lie on the same
type of surface having anti –parallel normal have the same direction but opposite sense. The check
for whether two faces are facing each other can be accomplished by checking if a ray along the
oriented normal intersects the other face [7].Thickness is constant for a sheet metal part. Thickness
is illustrated in Fig.1.
CIEs

WIDTH
THICKNESS

EEs
LENGTH
HEIGHT
IIEs

Fig.1. 3-D sheet metal part model

Exterior edges (EEs): The exterior edges are which makes loop through edges of base sheet metal
as illustrated in Fig.1. These edges are not modified during feature operation.
Interior edges (IEs): The interior edges are which makes loop through edges of feature and they
exist in the main base sheet metal. The geometrical commonality among the features such as collar,
lance, internal flange, bridge and louver are connected to the interior edges. This connection is
utilized in extracting process parameters.
Common interior edges (CIEs): The edges those are common for the feature and the base
sheet metal and generated by stretching or drawing operations, they exist in the main sheet
metal top surface as illustrated in Fig.1.
Isolated interior edges (IIEs): The edges other than exterior edges which makes loop on the
base sheet and those are generated by cutting or shearing operations, they exist in the main
sheet metal top surface but not end edges of the sheet metal part as illustrated in Fig.1.
Feature height (h): Height of feature is the distance between base sheet and top face of the feature
as illustrated in Fig.1.
890 Dynamics of Machines and Mechanisms, Industrial Research

Primary distance moved by tool (H1): This is the distance that the tool moved through the sheet
metal with shearing force. It is considered as 1/3 of thickness of the sheet metal [5].
Secondary distance moved by tool (H2): This is the distance that the tool moved through the sheet
metal with deformation force.
Material properties (shear stress and ultimate stress): Material properties are selected from
material data base. The database can be created for different sheet metal material [11]. In this paper,
material of sheet metal part model is taken as low carbon steel with shear stressas 100N/mm2 and
ultimate stressas 210N/mm2.
Force: The amount of force applies to produce the desired feature. This force is divided into
shearing force (Fs) and deformation force (Fd). Shearing force is the force required to cut material.
Deforming force is the force required to deform material plastically to the desired shape.
Blank holding force (Fh): This is the force required to hold the sheet metal during the feature
operation and this force depends on the force required to generate the feature.
Force coefficient (Kd): It depends on the design of tool (punch/die) and complexity of the feature
geometry.
The process parameters required for manufacturing a sheet metal operation are obtained from
experimental setup. These parameters required for manufacturing sheet metal operations are also
explained in literature [5]. In this paper those process parameters with required values for
manufacturing sheet metal features are extracted from sheet metal part model.

EXTRACTION OF PROCESS PARAMETERS:

Sheet metal forming is an industrial process that strongly depends on numerous interactive variables
like geometric parameters, process parameters, material properties. These process parameters are
required for controlling operation and to obtain the desired shape. The process parameters for a
sheet metal operation depend on shape feature, material used for sheet metal and operation itself.
The extraction of process parameters for deformation feature from a sheet metal part model is
explained in the following steps using flow chart shown in Fig.2.
Step 1: STEP format file of the sheet metal part model is read to extract the feature information.
Feature recognition software module is utilized for this step to extract the feature information such
as feature faces, feature dimension and sheet metal thickness.
Step 2: Classify the edges extracted in the sheet metal part model into exterior edges and interior
edges. The interior edges are further classified into common interior edges (CIEs) and isolated
interior edges (IIEs).
Step 3: Extract additional information such as material properties of sheet metal and machine tool
required to manufacture form the tool and material database. The machine tool is assumed as
punching press.
Step 4: Determination of shearing force, deformation force, stripping force and distance moved by
machine tool as illustrated in Fig.2.In this paper material of sheet metal part model is taken low
carbon steel having ultimate shear stress is 100N/mm2 and ultimate yield stress is 210N/mm2.
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 891

Fig.2. Extraction of process parameters from sheet metal part model

RESULTS:
Examples of sheet metal models used for testing the algorithm, along with the definitions and labels
of the extracted process parameters are shown in Table1. Rendered images of the input part models
are shown in Row2. Row3 and Row4 show extracted feature model and its information. Extracted
process parameters for different models have been shown in Row5.
892 Dynamics of Machines and Mechanisms, Industrial Research

Table.1 Deformed features and extraction features and process parameters

FEATURE BRIDGE EMBOSS INTERNAL LOUVER

NAME FLANGE

3D MODEL

FEATURE
RECOGNIZED
3D MODEL

h=10,LIIE_1=50, h=10, LCIE_1 h=6, h=10, LIIE_1 =50,

LCIE_1=30, =30, LCIE_1=50,LCIE LCIE_1=8,LCIE_2=
EXTRACTED LIIE_2=50, LCIE_2=30, _2=30,LCIE_3=5 8,LCIE_3=55,t=2,
FEATUTE LCIE_3=30, 0, Number of IIES=1
LCIE_2=30,
INFORMATION LCIE_4=30, LCIE_4=30,t=2,
t=2, Number of t=2, Number of Number of
IIES=2. IIES=0. IIES=0
Fs=20,000,Fd=8,400, Fs=0, Fs=0, Fs=10000,
Fh =4,000, Fd=16,800, Fd=22,400, Fd=9,840,
PROCESS H1=0.667, Fh =3,360, Fh =4,480, Fh =2,000,
PARAMETERS H2=9.334. H1=0, H1=0.667, H1=0.667,
H2=10 H2=3.334. H2=9.334.

In the above table Height of feature (h),Lengths ofcommon interior edges (LCIEs) and isolated
interior edges (LIIEs),H1 and H2 are in millimeter. Fs, Fd, and Fh are in Newton. For the
demonstration, calculations of the extracted process parameters for Bridge operation are given
below.
For Bridge:
Fs= Ʈ*t*TLIIES
Fs= 100*2*100=20,000[N]
Fd= Kd *Ys* t*TLCIES
Fd=(1/3)*210*2*60=8,400[N]
Fh= 0.2* Fs
Fh= 0.2*20,000=4,000[N]
H1=(1/3)*t
H1=(1/3)*2= 0.667[mm]
H2= h-(1/3)*t
H2=10-(1/3)*2=9.334[mm]
Values for other operations like Emboss,Internal Flange, and Louver using the extracted parameters
can be explained and are given in Table 1.
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 893

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK:

In the paper, new procedure for extraction of process parameters for deformation features in a sheet
metal part model has been developed.The extracted parameters are defined in terms the extracted
feature information, material properties of sheet metal and tool information. By extracting these
process parameters sheet metal manufacturing can be done automatically.Examples to demonstrate
the extraction of process parameters from sheet metal part model have been presented.
In the further research, the electrical parameters which control the real manufacturing have been
obtained from the extracted process parameters. By obtaining electrical parameters feature
operation can be controlled automatically.

REFERENCES:
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metal forming process, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology. 28(2014)605-619.
[2] LiuW. andTaiK.: Optimal design of flat pattern for 3D folded structures by unfolding with
topological validation, Computer-Aided Design. 39(2007)898-913.
[3] KannanT.R. and Shunmugam M.S.: Processing of 3D sheet metal components in STEP AP-203
format. Part II: feature reasoning system, International journal of production research.
47(2009)1287-1308.
[4] GuptaS.K., BourneD.A., KimK.H. andKrishanS.S.: Automated process planning for sheet metal
bending operations, Journal of Manufacturing Systems. 17(1998)5-28.
[5] QiangL., Wenjuan L., Feng R. and Hong yang Q.: Automated optimization in sheet metal
forming process parameters, Journal of Materials Processing Technology. 187(2007)159-163.
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format. Part 1: feature recognition system, International journal of production research.
47(2009)941-964.
[7] GuptaR.K. andGurumoorthyB.: Classification, representation, and automatic extraction of
deformation features in sheet metal parts, Computer Aided Design. 45(2013)1469-1484.
[8] Liu Z.L., Wang Y.L., LiY. and XiaoX.Z.: Automatically extracting sheet metal features from
solid model, Journal of Zhejing University Science. 11(2004)1456-65.
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Dynamics of Machines and Mechanisms, Industrial Research
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.592-594

Extraction of Process Parameters from a Sheet Metal Part Model

10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.592-594.888