Die design for the radial forging process using 3D FEM

Radial forging is an open forging process used for reducing the diameters of shafts, tubes, stepped shafts and axels, as well as for creating internal profiles for tubes such as rifling the gun barrels. Most of the previous studies conducted on the radial forging process have used axisymmetric models to understand the effects of die shape on deformation. In order to design a hammer die for radial forging process, a full 3D model of the process is needed to consider the effects of die shape in the cross-section area on deformation. Therefore, the commercial finite element code, ABAQUS, was used in this study to model the radial forging process and the effects of die shape in the cross-section area on deformation were considered. Additionally, in order to investigate the accuracy of the axisymmetric model of the radial forging, the results of 3D FEM model were compared with those obtained by axisymmetric FEM model.