In the automotive industry, during the early phase of development, numerical prediction of strength and durability of chassis parts become crucial as these predictions help in design optimization, selecting the appropriate material and identifying potential issues before physical prototypes are built. One of the crucial simulation requirements is the prediction of accurate load carrying capacity or bucking load of axle links. When it comes to the sheet metal axle links there is a deviation in the hardware test and CAE results for load carrying capacity due to the non-integration of forming effects in the numerical simulation, resulting in overdesign of parts, increased costs and development time. This study aims to address these challenges by integrating forming effects experienced by the part during forming process into static strength simulations. These effects include plastic straining, which contributes to material strain hardening and local thickness changes that lead to thinning. Both parameters are critical for accurately predicting the load carrying capacity of sheet metal axle parts.
A multi-step forming simulation is carried out on a rear-axle sheet metal link, which involves simulating all the stages of the forming process to accurately predict the plastic strains and thickness changes. The forming simulations are performed using the anisotropic material model Banabic-Barlat-Comsa (BBC) to capture the anisotropy effects. This model uses several coefficients to precisely characterize the yield surfaces, considering both uniaxial and biaxial yield stresses, as well as anisotropy coefficients. The output of the forming simulation, Equivalent Plastic Strain (EPS) and thickness data, are then mapped on to the FEA model as initial conditions for static strength calculation.