A study on the automated process planning system for cold forging of non-axisymmetric parts using FVM simulation

A process planning system for cold forging of non-axisymmetric parts of comparatively simple shape was developed in this study. Programs for the system have been written with Visual LISP in AutoCAD. When a product is drawn on AutoCAD, it needs that the shape of the product is drawn with the solid line and the hidden line, and with the plane and front view, as well. At the plane, the system recognizes the external shape of non-axisymmetric portions—the number of the sides of the regular polygons and the radii of circles inscribing and circumscribing the polygon of n sides. At the front view, the system cognizes the diameter of axisymmetric portions and the height of the primitive geometries such as polygon, cylinder, cone, concave, convex, etc. And the system perceives that the list developed from the solid line must be formed by the operation of forward extrusion or upsetting, and that the list developed from the hidden line must be formed by the operation of backward extrusion. Suitability of the process planning was analyzed using SuperForge of FVM simulation package. The results of analysis showed good formability.