LOADING OF FORMING PRESSES BY THE UPSETTING OF OBLIQUE SPECIMENS

The upsetting of oblique specimens as a means of loading forming press es with vertical and horizontal forces is a feasible concept; however, due to the changing distribution of conditions at the specimen interf ace, the scope of this approach needs to be quantified. The plastic de formation of oblique specimens was analysed using an FE code named PLA ST2. The analysis suggests guidelines for the selection of test specim ens and the scope of such tests; it is apparent that the lubrication c onditions and specimen reduction, and the ratio between the vertical a nd horizontal forces, do not remain constant over the entire course of the deformation. Hence, the analysis of measurements of the behaviour of the press would be meaningful if the range of uniform behaviour of such tests was observed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.