INFLUENCES OF THE FORMING

PROCESS
ON CRASH PERFORMANCE

Josh Asokan C
Reg: 04108
Crash analysis

Introduction
The process of forming a component changes the
properties of material being used. This is generally
ignored in the design and validation process in automotive
structures even though changes in material strength and
thickness are substantial. Finite element tools are now
able to predict the as formed material properties and use
this in subsequent crash analysis.
The objective of this seminar is to understand metal
forming simulation parameters (effective plastic strain
distribution, thickness and residual stresses) into the
crash simulation of a structural component.
Crash analysis

A vehicle body structure consists of hundreds of formed

components. A detailed analysis of the stamping process can take
between 5 to 10 day per part to complete. To reduce the time, it is
necessary to identify the key parts in which to include formed
properties in the first stage of forming to crash analysis.
Step-1
Parts for which it is important to include formed properties in the
crash analysis is identified.
Step-2
• The formed properties are estimated.
Step-3
• The formed properties are predicted using a full forming analysis and
are mapped into crash analysis model.
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Numerical and computation tool

The numerical method, which is used for solving, is the
Finite Element Method (FEM).
The Finite Element Method requires that a domain is
divided into finite number of elements (a mesh). The
elements are connected at points called nodes. When the
load is applied on the structure, deformation occurs in the
element. It invokes nodal displacement.

There are two general schemes for calculating an

approximate solution (here, the nodal displacement):
explicit and implicit method.
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Test component
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The simulation procedure consist of:

● Design of the hat profile which has to be produced by a

stamping process,

● Forming simulations of the component (stamping,

coarsening, trimming and
two different spring back simulations),

● Transferring the forming parameters into the crash

simulation,

● Crash simulation.
Crash analysis

Forming to crash procedure

A description of the steps which have been done in
order to map the forming results to the crash simulation.
The steps are divided into a design, a forming and a crash
process.
•Design
•Forming process
Stamping process
Coarsening
Trimming of the formed hat profile
Spring back phase

•Crash of the component

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Design
A simple geometry - a top hat profile with a
welded flat lid has been chosen as the suitable
component. The component has to satisfy the following
conditions:
• It has to be able to absorb as much kinetic energy as
possible during the crash test;
• It has to be produced by stamping in one operation.
The first condition is satisfied if the component deforms
in an acceptable deformation mode during the crash
process.
The trigged hat profile has been made formable by
stamping, in one operation.
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Forming process

Forming is divided into two phases: a forming

phase, and a springback phase.
• The stamping is a process of the sheet metal forming
which is done by relative motion of a metal sheet
caused by parts of tool (punch and die).
•The coarsening is performed after the stamping, and
includes remeshing, i.e., increasing of the element size.
•The trimming is a process where the uneven deformed
edges after stamping and excessive material are cut off.
•The spring back is a process of relaxation of elastic
residual stresses obtained after the stamping process.
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Stamping process
The forming tool consist of: a die, a punch, two blank
holders, and two drawbeads.
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Stamping process
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Coarsening
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Trimming of the formed hat profile

In reality, the trimming is performed after the springback. Usage of

the trimming tool causes again additional stresses in material. Then,
later, since the trimming tool has been removed, a relaxation of
stresses is performed (springback). In order to avoid two springback
simulations, the trimming simulation is performed between the
stamping and the springback simulations.
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Crash of the component

Three different modeling cases are considered:
1. The geometry of the hat profile has been taken after the forming
phase simulation with the later welded lid. The forming
parameters (stress tensor, strain and thickness distribution) after
springback simulation, performed with only the hat profile (the
first case of springback), have been used. This crash simulation
has been called TRICK.
2. Both the geometry and the forming parameters after springback
simulation, run with the lid welded to the hat profile (the second
case of the springback) have been used. This crash simulation
has been called FlSB (Forming, lid, SpringBack).
3. Geometry of the designed component with virgin material
properties, the thickness of 1 mm and the element mesh size of
5 mm has been used. This crash simulation has been called
VIRGIN.
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Crash of the component

The back end of the component is fixed to the unmovable

part of the test equipment. The front end (near the triggers) is the
part of structure that is exposed to the initial force of the impact
body. The impact body is a flat part of test equipment which moves
along the y-axis.
The fixed part of component is modeled by constrained
nodes on the back edge of the hat profile and the lid. The nodes
are constrained in translation and rotation.
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Crash simulation
The results obtained from the crash simulations are
presented by three diagrams: axial deformation of the
front end, force-displacement response, and energy
absorption diagram.

The force-displacement response shows how the rigid

wall force acts at different global displacement.
The axial deformation is presented by a displacement
of the front end vs time curve.
The energy absorption is given by a rigid wall work vs
displacement of the front end curve.
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Table 4.1:Performed simulations

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Displacement of the front end vs. time

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Force-displacement Response
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Energy absorption
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Sheet Forming Effect on Crash

Example-1

With Without
forming effect forming effect
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Sheet Forming Effect on Crash

Example-2
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Sheet Forming Effect on Crash

Example-3
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Conclusions
The weakest structures are the structures where the
forming parameters are not included.
Thinning of the material causes a weaker response of
the structure.
The effective plastic strains always hardens the material
response.
The influence of the effective plastic strains is the most
eminent.
The residual stresses added to the strains with thinning
significantly change the deformation mode.
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References
http://www.ls-dyna.com
http://www.dynamore.de/download/papers/af02_v10_elsaes
ser_trw.pdf
http://www.metalformingmagazine.com/technical
papers/formingparameters/crash analysis

http://www.ulsab.org
Thank you!