A rigid–plastic hybrid element method for simulations of metal forming

In the present study, the rigid–plastic hybrid element method (HEM) is developed. The rigid–plastic HEM is a mixed approach of the rigid–plastic domain-BEM and the rigid–plastic FEM. Since the compatibilities of velocity as well as velocity’s derivative can be satisfied, the velocity and the derivative of the velocity can be calculated with the same precision with the rigid–plastic HEM. On the other hand, the conventional rigid–plastic FEMs are formulated with single variable (velocity), the velocity and the derivative of the velocity cannot be calculated with the same precision for the rigid–plastic FEMs. A plane strain forging problem is analyzed by the rigid–plastic HEM. Velocity fields and contours of effective strain rate, effective strain, effective stress and shear stress, etc. can be obtained successfully.