Simufact Hosts Users' Conference on Forming Technology, Trends
More than 120 attendees joined Simufact Engineering recently for its 10th RoundTable Users’ Conference in Bamberg, Germany. The title of the event was "Simulation in Massive Forming Technology,” and the purpose was to promote idea exchange through topical presentations and discussions of news and trends in forming processes.
Simufact Engineering GmbH develops process simulation software to optimize part forming through structural analysis. Its customers represent forging, cold massive forming, rolling, sheet metal forming, and mechanical joining industries.
Among the presentations was a demonstration of Simufact.forming 8.1, the newest version of Simufact Engineering’s massive forming simulation program, introduced earlier this year. Its improvements include a new meshing technology, for “more efficient, robust, and powerful usage than in the past.” The CAD/CAE interface has been extended to include all standard and many direct interfaces. According to Simufact Engineering, it’s also more user friendly than past versions.
The organizers also previewed Simufact.forming 9.0, to be available next spring. It will contain the possibility for parallel computing to calculate large models, to reduce simulation times, and enhancements for sheet metal simulation. Version 9.0 also will introduce new methods for simulating rolling, especially ring rolling.
Other program topics included details of specific customer applications, as well as presentations by Simufact of technical innovations in process simulation. These included new methods and possibilities for calculating grain structures as a basis for identifying final component characteristics.
Another subject covered was press hardening for sheet metal forming, which is carried out at temperatures similar to the forging process, and due to fast cooling results into martensitic structures that meet demands for extra strength.
Among the conference attendees were representatives of Robert Bosch GmbH, Buderus Edelstahl Schmiedetechnik GmbH, ZF Sachs AG, Schaeffler KG, and Hoesch Schwerter Profile GmbH.