CAE supported design solution generation in metal forming product development

In the current metal forming product development paradigm, the first 20% of design activities commits to about 80% of product development cost and product quality issues. How to efficiently generate the optimal design solution in up-front design processes is crucial for "right the first time design". To address these issues, state-of-the-art technologies are needed. Traditional heuristic know-how and expertise cannot accurately evaluate the design solutions in metal formed product development and it needs more scientific calculation and analysis. Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) technology provides approaches for practitioners to generate, verify, validate arid optimize the design solutions before they are physically realized. In this paper, how CAE simulation supports design solution generation for metal-formed part design, process determination, tooling design, product quality assurance and die fatigue life design is presented. The related processes, procedure and methodologies for solution generation are proposed and presented. Using industrial parts as case studies, how CAE simulation supports design solutions generation for metal forming product development is illustrated and demonstrated.