Simulation of roll forming with dynamic explicit finite element method

Roll forming is a well known process in which a strip is guided through several sets of rolls that form the strip into the desired shape. However, industrial practice has been largely restricted to empiricism and heuristic rules. To avoid the forming defects and reduce the developing cost, simulation can be used to examine the roll forming process. As a continuous quasi-static loading process, dynamic explicit finite element method often exhibits greater capability than other implicit methods in reducing CPU time, saving memory and dealing with the contact. However, a key problem, when using dynamic explicit codes, is that the method is a conditional stability algorithm. When using mass scaling or virtual velocity for increasing the time step size, dynamic effects are the fatal weakness. By choosing a series of appropriate control parameters for current damping models and loading velocity curves, the dynamic effects can be minimized to a reasonable level in engineering sense. This paper describes the simulation process in studying the "U" section channel part and some simulation parameters are recommended.