FINITE-ELEMENT INVESTIGATION OF CURVATURE IN THE ROLL PLATEN FORMING PROCESS

A novel roll-platen forming process described in this paper has been p roposed for the production of elongated components to net shape or nea r net shape. Although significant progress in net shape forging has be en achieved in circular and axisymmetric components through flashless forging with completely closed die cavity techniques, similar progress has not been reported for elongated components. The feasibility of th is process has been demonstrated through physical modelling experiment s with Plasticine. This process essentially consists of a single roll and a flat platen. The platen can move with a speed equal to or higher than that of the peripheral speed of the roll. When it moves with a h igher speed, the deformed workpiece becomes curved. With this characte ristic, the roll-platen forming process seems promising for the manufa cture of curved elongate components to near net shape. This paper pres ents an investigation of how the curvature is influenced by the speed ratio. The detailed results of curvature, as well as the distribution of generalised strain, strain rate, and mass flow will be given. The f inite-element predicted curvature is shown to agree with previous expe rimental observations.