A control method of guide rolls in 3D-FE simulation of ring rolling

3D-FE simulation has become an indispensable approach to develop advanced ring rolling technologies, and a perfect 3D-FE ring rolling model is the basic demand of the simulation. How to control the movement of guide rolls reasonably in the model is one of the key problems urgently to be solved, particularly for rings complicated in shape or large in dimension or with high precision. In this paper, a method to control the guide rolls by the hydraulic adjustment mechanism is explored and realized in 3D-FE ring rolling model for the first time, and the key technologies, such as the parameter design of the linkage assembly and critical pressure of the hydraulic ram, are also proposed. Moreover, the difficulty in determining the liquid flow rate out of the hydraulic ram is solved by combining dichotomy with numerical simulation results. Based on the elastic–plastic dynamic finite element method under the ABAQUS software environment, the 3D-FE cold ring rolling model with hydraulic adjustment mechanism has been built, and the side spread of rectangular-section rings and the final section configuration of T-shaped ring have been analyzed. Good agreements between the calculating results and experimental ones prove the validity of the improved cold ring rolling model, and consequently the developed guide roll control method is also valid. Meanwhile, the circularity and oscillation of ring show that the rings are kept circular and stable very well during the process. Therefore the guide roll control method developed is suitable and reliable, particularly for rings complicated in shape or large in dimension or with high precision.