Research On Numerical Simulation For The Process Of Blanking-welding Drive Axle Housing

The automobile drive axle housing is the important carrying and passing component. Drive axle housing not only supports the weight of the vehicle, but also withstands the opposite force of draft force, braking force, lateral force and vertical force as well as the counter-torque act on the wheels and transfer to the frame and body through suspension fork. Moreover, because of phantasmagoric road conditions, the axle housing could get deformed or broken under the affection of shocking loads which generate between wheel and ground, the drive axle housing must have enough intensity, rigidity and good dynamic performance, and the reasonable drive axle housing design can also improve ride comfort of the vehicle.In addition to simple manufacturing process, high material utilization, and low rejection rate, high productivity and low production cost, the stamping and welding drive axle housing have sufficient strength and stiffness, especially its small quality (only about 75% of the casting drive axle housing quality ), but much more secure than casting drive axle housing. Stamping and welding drive axle housing has a series of advantages, in recent years, not only in cars and light, medium-laden cars has been extensively applied, but in a greater tonnage of heavy-duty automobile industry is widely used.With the fast development of computer hard and soft wares, finite element method (FEM) and computer graphics, the computer aided engineering technology based on numerical simulation is used widely in metal plastic forming field. The simulation of metal forming process can be realized in the computer. The deep drawing and bending of sheet metal forming process can be studied with three-dimensional FEM. The distribution of the stress and strain can be obtained in work piece. The forming laws of the work piece can be predicted. The numerical simulation is a powerful tool for the process design and dies design. In recent years, it is the developing trend of metal forming technology to use advanced methods, such as numerical simulation, to solve the problem in industry. The process of drive axle housing and its key process technology are researched in this paper by the way of numerical simulation.Using the BSE module of DYNAFORM, and the Reverse Simulation Principle, we can obtain the blank shape and size of the drive axle housing. We also get the blank shape and size of the drive axle housing with the traditional method of calculation and drawing. Analysis and compare the two blanks to further improve the accuracy of the shape and size of blank. As a basis for the optimal layout, improve material utilization.Used the theoretical and the finite element simulation method, and combined the CAD software Pro/E and the sheet metal forming simulation software DYNAFORM together, we completed the entire process from the establishment of Drive Axle Housing 3D model to the finite element simulation. In the basis of analyzing the forming process, explored the optimum program. Using Finite Element Technique, deeply study the Drive Axle Housing forming process of deformation and impact factors. Using the actual mechanical deformation and flow characteristics of sheet metal forming process as a reference, Analyze and optimize the process parameters and die structure design to reduce cost and time, to enhance the accuracy and reliability.