QForm has many features that allow the user to quickly identify and solve a variety of problems in metal forming processes. The program is designed to run automatically so that your valuable time isn’t spent tending to the simulation. You spend a few minutes setting up the simulation and then you are free to do other work while the simulation runs automatically. The simulation results are all visible even while the simulation is calculating. QForm’s unique work flow structure allows you to quickly find solutions to complex problems. You can make copies of a simulation and/or add modified branches to the technological chain and then modify one parameter to see how it affects the results.
These are some of the typical problems QForm can detect in the workpiece:
- Non-fill
- Laps
- Flow through defects
- Over/under temperature
- Equipment capacity issues
- Lubrication issues
- Cold shuts
- Grain flow issues
- Billet positioning issues
- Instability
- Distortion from trimming or piercing
- Microstructure and residual stress/shape distortion
- An stl file of the workpiece shape can be exported from any step of the simulation
Data from QForm simulations can be easily shown in the workpiece during the running of a simulation as well as after it is finished. The following data can be seen graphically on the surface or in any cross section of the workpiece:
- Temperature
- Effective strain
- Effective strain rate
- Effective stress
- Mean stress
- Plastic Strain
- Velocity in any axis
- Velocity vectors
- Die contact
- Flow lines
- Contour
- Distance to contact
- Minimum distance to surface
- Phase composition at any point in the heat treat process
Tool simulations can be run on die assemblies of any complexity. The following data can be seen graphically on the surface or in any cross section of the tools:
- Die wear
- Die stress
- Die deflection
- Die temperature
- The effect of shrink rings, inserts, and complex assemblies
- Distortion due to forming load
- Radial and axial displacement
- Load
- Effective stress and strain
- Mean stress
- Radial stress and strain
- Axial stress and strain
- Hoop stress and strain
- Shearing stress and strain
- Volumetric strain
Problems specific to extrusion that QForm can detect:
- Optimization of bearings heights, choke, and relief based on the velocity of extruded material
- Tip shape optimization
- Calculation of dimensions and angles (choke and relief) on bearings caused by die deflection
- Prediction of over-cooled and over-heated areas of the extruded profile
- Prediction of surface defects on the profile
- Press selection and optimization of extrusion velocity for optimal productivity
- Prediction of longitudinal seam welds and transvers seams (billet to billet)
- Calculation of upsetting and die filling time
- Calculation of thermal stresses in extruded profile for estimation of its warping
Graphs can easily be generated that show load, work energy, power, velocity and distance and how they relate to distance, time or other field. When possible, graphs can be printed together to show how the data relates. For instance, load curves can be added together to show total load on a machine forming multiple stations at the same time.
Tracked points can be inserted as a grid or as individual points anywhere in the work piece and tracked forward or backward in time. Tracked points can show the evolution of temperature, effective strain and strain rate, effective stress, mean stress and at that specific point throughout the course of the forming process.
Other useful output includes customizable movie (.WMV) and picture (.PNG) output.
Cross sections can be made anywhere in a 3D simulation. All visual parameters can be seen on the cross cut plane as well as on the surface of the part.
QForm has tools to easily allow dimensional measurement of the work piece or the tools at any point in the simulation. Measurements can be taken vertically, horizontally, or on a cross cut plane in a 3D simulation. Simulated forgings may be exported into CAD systems for further dimensional analysis.
QForm’s convenient and flexible Batch Mode allows multiple simulations to run overnight or weekends.
The material database includes several hundred steel grades and non-ferrous alloys. The equipment selection includes mechanical, hydraulic and screw presses, hammers and electric upsetting machines.
QForm works well with almost all modern cad systems. The die and billet geometry are imported from 3D cad as STEP files so there is no reduction of accuracy of the geometry that is used for the simulation. Other simulation packages still use stl format geometry that reduces the geometry into a coarse surface mesh that loses detail and important information. QForm geometry used for simulation is of the highest accuracy.
Forge Technology, Inc. 