A 3-DIMENSIONAL STUDY OF FLOW IN THE FULLERING PROCESS USING AN ELASTIC-PLASTIC FINITE-ELEMENT SIMULATION

This paper describes research work concerned with the three-dimensiona l finite-element simulation of the fullering process. The main objecti ves of this preliminary study are to provide the details of metal flow during the process in order to investigate the effects of various par ameters, to examine the correlation between the finite-element results and those of empirical relationships and to evaluate some aspects of empirical methods of fuller die design for a typical forging component . The activities carried out to achieve these objectives are explained in this paper.