Simulation of a multi-stand roll-forming process for thick channel section

Cold roll forming is one of the important manufacturing methods for sheet metal products, in which flat strips are deformed progressively into all kinds of sections by successive sets of rotating rolls. Based on the updated-Lagrange method in deformation mechanics, an elastic–plastic large-deformation spline finite strip method is presented, developed to simulate the multiple cold rolls forming process for thick channel section. The longitudinal membrane strain values on the edge of the deformed strip for four roll stands are attained. The peak strain values attained in the simulation are within 20% of the experimental measurements. Simulation results are compared with the results from previously conducted experiments. This program, written in C language, can be modified to analyze other simple cross-sectional profiles.