Press Forming Blank Edge Shape for Stretch Flange Failure Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for preventing stretch flange fractures and wrinkles during press forming are complex and limited in design versatility, often requiring multiple prototype iterations and increased designer workload, as they struggle to uniformly suppress strain concentration across the entire component edge.

Innovation Solution

A blank shape determining method that involves analyzing forming failures through sheet thickness and plastic strain distributions, estimating failure regions, generating corrected blanks by adjusting edge shapes, and determining the optimal shape to minimize forming failure indices, thereby reducing the likelihood of stretch flange fractures and wrinkles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If high-strength steel sheet is adopted to reduce vehicle body weight and improve collision safety, then weight reduction and collision safety performance are improved, but formability and stretch flange formability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesteel sheet strengthVSAvoidformability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by modifying only the end edge portion shape of the blank rather than changing the entire blank geometry or material properties. By locally adjusting the curvature radius at the end edge portion, the patent addresses strain concentration issues specifically where they occur without affecting the overall formability requirements of the component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements preliminary action by pre-modifying the blank shape before press forming to prevent forming failures. The end edge portion is designed with a specific curvature radius ratio (R2/R1 ≥ 2) in advance, which pre-regulates strain distribution during subsequent forming operations, preventing stretch flange fractures before they occur

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If conventional methods are used to suppress strain concentration at end edge portions, then stretch flange fracture prevention is improved, but design versatility is limited and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestretch flange fracture preventionVSAvoidforming method complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies parameter changes by modifying geometric parameters of the blank - specifically the curvature radius ratio (R2/R1) at the end edge portion. This simple parameter adjustment provides a quantitative design criterion that is easy to implement and evaluate, avoiding complex forming processes while effectively preventing stretch flange fractures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If multiple prototype iterations are performed to optimize blank shape, then forming failure prevention is improved, but productivity decreases and time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforming failure preventionVSAvoiddesign efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention implements feedback by establishing a clear evaluation criterion (curvature radius ratio R2/R1 ≥ 2) that provides immediate feedback on whether a blank design will prevent stretch flange fractures. This allows designers to evaluate blank shapes analytically rather than through trial-and-error prototyping, significantly reducing development time and improving productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3275565B1Blank shape determining method, press molding method, computer program, and recording medium
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
  • EP3275565B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3275565B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3275565B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4A

AI summary

A blank shape determining method includes: a process of making a forming analysis of forming a reference blank into a reference formed product and a acquiring sheet thickness distribution and a plastic strain distribution; a process of acquiring a forming failure evaluation index for the reference blank; a process of estimating a region, which includes an end edge portion at which the forming failure evaluation index exceeds a predetermined threshold, within the reference blank as a forming failure region; a process of generating a plurality of corrected blanks; a process of making a forming analysis of forming the corrected blanks into corrected formed products and acquiring a sheet thickness distribution and a plastic strain distribution; a process of acquiring the forming failure evaluation index for the corrected formed product; and a process of determining a shape of the corrected blank having a smallest maximum value of the forming failure evaluation index as a shape of a blank provided for press forming.