Finite element analysis of springback in L-bending of sheet metal

In the metal stamping industry, one of the major problems is getting the sheet metal to conform exactly to the shape of the die. Due to the effects of springback, die designs are usually finalized only after the fabrication and testing of multiple prototypes. The design of a die for a given part may undergo many rounds of iterations in the debugging stage before a satisfactory geometry is obtained. In order to reduce time spent on such manual corrections of the die, a parametric study is conducted on how the inclusion of a step in the die may reduce springback. The results provide a better understanding of how die parameters like die clearance, die radius, step height and step distance affect springback.