Abstract: In Automobile industry sheet metal forming process are getting more complicated due to complex part geometries. In this Paper we have used simulation software to simulate the forming process before actually manufacturing of the tools. For this purpose commercial FEM simulation software autoform was used to simulate the draw component panel under study . The main objective was to avoid cracking and severe wrinkling which may result in the forming process..This defects occurring in sheet metal forming are bound to occur in the draw component . Conventionally these defects are reduced by varying the forming process conditions trial and error method. This trial and error method causes loss in terms of money and time which finally increases product development time . There are various parameters included in the forming process which affect the final products quality. The most effective process parameters are identified using FMEA and this are blank holder force, die entry radius and draw bead height . Combination of different values of these process parameters is done using Design of experiments (DOE) by Taguchi’s orthogonal arrays in Minitab software. Thus trial and error methods are replaced by the virtual simulations of these trials using Finite Element Method (FEM) based software and optimization is carried out by using autoform software. This method will replace the need of industrial expertise and also save a lot of cost and time. The results of optimization are validated by actual formed component at industry using same optimized parameters. With help of simulations a stable forming process which did not yield cracks or severe wrinkling, was eventually found.

Keywords: Sheet metal forming, Thinning, Finite element method, Design of experiments (DOE), Taguchi, Minitab