by Quantor-Form
AS REAL AS IT GETS
QForm is a single program for 2D and 3D metal forming simulation with a project-oriented interface. The project may include several variations of a simulation. Each variation is a complete technological chain consisting of several consecutive operations (forming blows with heating/cooling between them). Due to the complete integration of QForm, the same technological chain may consist of both 2D and 3D forming operations. A simulation can run fully automatic through several blows in different dies. For instance, you can run a preform operation in 2D and the program will automatically transfer the results of the 2D simulation into a 3D finish blow. All this is done automatically without the users intervention.
EASY TO USE:
Set up of a simulation is very easy and fast. The source data
are prepared in just a few minutes by means of self-explanatory Data Preparation Wizard. This wizard takes you step by step through the simulation set up and reduces the oportunity for mistakes during set up.
Direct and immediate access to the source data structure is provided by a "Property Editor". Thus the process of setting up a new variation can be created in one click.
EXTENSIVE DATABASE:
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.
DIRECT INTERFACE WITH 3D CAD:
QForm3D has offers direct interface with popular 3D cad systems like Pro/Engineer, Solid Edge, Solid Works and Mechanical Desktop. The die and billet geometry can also be imported from 3D CAD through STEP or IGES files.
QForm3D works with the original geometrical entities generated by the 3D cad system. This means that 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 surface of the geometry into a course surface mesh that loses detail and important information regarding the original geometry. With QForm the Geometry that is used for simulation is of the highest accuracy.
COMPLETELY AUTOMATED SIMULATION:
Once specified, the technological chain is simulated automatically without user's control. Mesh generation is fully automatic and the adaptive self-controlled algorithm keeps optimal mesh density distribution during the whole simulation. This unique feature provides high accuracy of the results regardless of user's expertise in F.E.M.
QForm3D uses a non uniform mesh so the mesh will be very fine in areas of detailed deformation, and course in areas where there is little deformation taking place. This increases accuracy and reduces time required for simulation.
The user can interactively position the billet in the dies and/or rotate it between blows and the new "gravity option" allows finding natural stable position of the billet on the complex die surface.
Between simulations of successive blows the flash can be trimmed and the hole in the workpiece can be pierced. If necessary the workpiece can be separated into two parts for individual simulation each of them.
Forge Technology, Inc.
P.O. Box 1095 Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone: 815-337-7555
Fax: 815-337-7666
Notice the very fine mesh in the flash
Blue color indicates contact with the die
The problem with STL format
Other forging simulation programs use STL format for the geometry of the dies. They use this format because it is available from most CAD systems. The problem with STL is that it is a very coarse mesh that looses all of the original geometrical information about the geometry.
STL mesh
You can see the difference in these two geometries: One imported through STL format and the other by direct interface with 3D CAD. It is clear which geometry will give the most accurate results.
Geometry imported through STL format
Geometry imported by direct interface with 3D CAD
Quantor originally developed QForm3D to utilize a STL import, but after a year of development they realized that the accuracy of the STL geometry is so bad that a useful simulation could not be achieved. They then scraped a years worth of development work and focused on a direct interface with popular 3D cad systems such as: SolidWorks, Unigraphics, Solid Edge, Pro E and others.
You can see in this QForm3D die geometry that the combination of accurate direct CAD interface and QForm's proprietary "smart mesh generator" gives the optimum mesh for the geometry. The "smart mesh generator" creates a non-uniform tetrahedral mesh that is very detailed in the areas of small radius and quite large in the flat areas where little deformation is taking place. This combination inures an accurate simulation while achieving maximum speed of simulation.
LINKS:
FORGING SIMULATION