Abstract
In deep-drawing process, wrinkling and tearing are major defects. In this study, we focus on the segmented blank holder shape and its Variable Blank Holder Gaps (VBHGs) to avoid these defects and improve the product quality. In order to determine the optimum segmented blank holder shape and its VBHGs in advance, numerical simulation based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool. The optimum segmented blank holder shape and its VBHGs are determined by the Sequential Approximate Optimization (SAO) with Radial Basis Function (RBF) network. The Forming Limit Diagram (FLD) is employed to quantitatively evaluate the wrinkling and the tearing of formed products. The objectives are to avoid defects and minimize the thickness deviation of formed products. The wrinkling and the tearing are separately evaluated as the design constraints. The optimization result shows that simultaneous optimization of both the segmented blank holder shape and the VBHGs is one of the effective approaches for the improvement of product quality.
