Finite element simulation of the effect of clearance on the forming quality in the blanking process

The clearance between the punch and the die plays an important role in the blanking process. The selection of the clearance will influence the life of the die or punch, the blanking force, the unloading force and the dimensional precision. In this paper, the punch–die clearance values for a given sheet material and thickness are optimized, using the finite element technique and Cockroft and Latham fracture criterion. In the study, the shearing mechanism was studied by simulating the blanking operation of an aluminum alloy 2024. The results of the present paper agree with the previous experimental results.