Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of a Lever Preform Forming from Magnesium Alloy AZ31 / Termomechaniczna Analiza Kształtowania Przedkuwki Dźwigni Ze Stopu Magnezu AZ31

Abstract

This paper presents the results of numerical analysis of metal forming process of a lever preform from magnesium alloy AZ31, which will be used as a semi-finished product in the forging process of a lever part. Presently, the lever forging is formed from semi-finished product in the form of a bar, which is connected with large material losses. Numerical simulations were made for two different metal forming methods: forging longitudinal rolling and cross-wedge rolling. Calculations were conducted basing on finite element method (FEM), applying commercial software DEFORM-3D. Geometrical models used in calculations were discussed. Simulations, made in conditions of three dimensional state of strain, allowed for determining distributions of strain intensity, temperature, cracking criterion, and mainly for determining the possibility of a lever preform manufacturing on the basis of rolling processes. Considering the obtained results of numerical simulations, the design of tools for semi-finished products rolling was worked out; these semi-finished products will be used for experimental verification of the lever preforms forming.