On the numerical simulation of sheet metal blanking process

One of the most widely used cutting techniques in sheet metal forming processes for mass production is the blanking process. In this process, a metallic sheet is placed between a die and a blankholder, and is then cut by the action of a punch which moves downward. The quality of the final product is directly linked to the resulting shape of the cut edge. Due to the complexity of the separation step, the set-up of the blanking process in practice is often driven by empirical knowledge. Thus, an accurate numerical tool is extremely desirable to optimize the setting parameters of this technique and will lead to a better understanding of the entire process. The numerical approach must be able to deal with three main issues involved in blanking: large and localized deformation, friction and contact, and ductile fracture. Furthermore, due to requirements of mass production the punch velocity is normally high and the effects of the strain rate must also be considered. Several approaches have been developed in order to model this cutting process but its accuracy still presents some numerical challenges.