3. BLOCK FORGING SIMULATION & POST-PROCESSING
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Opening a Previously Saved Problem
3.3. Starting the Simulation
3.4. Post-Processing the Results3.4.1. Step Selection3.4.2.
State Variables3.4.3. Point Tracking3.4.4. Slicing Objects
3.5. Exiting DEFORM-3D
3. Block Forging Simulation & Post-Processing
3.1. Introduction
This lab focuses on running a simulation and viewing the results
in the DEFORM-3D Post- processor.
3.2. Opening a Previously Saved Problem
If DEFORM is not already open, open it as you did in the
previous lab. When the MAIN window opens, click on the BLOCK folder
in the Directory list and then highlight the BLOCK.DB file in the
file list.
3.3. Starting the Simulation
You are now ready to start the simulation by clicking in the
list.
The progress of the simulation can be monitored as it is running
by looking at the Message file. Click the Message tab to view the
Message file. As long as the option is checked, which is the
default setting, the Message file will refresh every couple of
seconds.
The Message file provides information about which simulation
step the simulation is currently on and also gives information
dealing with how well the simulation is running.
When the simulation has finished, the following message will be
added to the end of the Message file:
3.4. Post-Processing the Results
After the simulation has completed, click on under . The
DEFORM-3D Post-processor will appear.
3.4.1. Step Selection
DEFORM-3D LabsTo select the step to be viewed, there is a step
list pull-down menu at the top of the window. Use the pull-down
list to select a step.
3-2
The icon can be used to bring up the STEP LIST window, which
allows the user to define more detailed step settings. The
following buttons are also available for selecting a
simulationstep:
First Step
One Step Back Play Backward Stop Playing Play ForwardOne Step
Forward
Last Step
Play through the steps to look at the deformation of the
workpiece.
3.4.2. State Variables
Some of the most commonly used state variables can be viewed
using the State Variable pull-down menu at the top of the
window.
Select Strain--Effective from the list to look at the amount of
deformation the workpiece has undergone. Click the icon to bring up
the STATE VARIABLE window, and select as the Scaling option. This
option will use the global Min and Max effective strain as the
extremes on the color bar. Play through the steps of the simulation
to observe the accumulation of strain.
The State Variable pull-down list only shows a couple of the
variables that can be plotted. The icon can be used to access all
of the state variable options.
3.4.3. Point Tracking
In DEFORM it is possible to track points in an object through
the simulation. Not only can the position of the points be tracked
but also the state variables at those locations. To open the POINT
TRACKING window, click the icon.
We want to define several points on the undeformed geometry and
see where they go as the part deforms. To view the undeformed
geometry, click the button to view the first step of the
simulation. Now click three locations on the workpiece (close to
those shown below) and click the button.
Accept the default Tracking Option and click .
If Effective Strain was still being plotted in the DISPLAY
window, then a Point Tracking plot will appear showing Effective
Strain vs. Time for the three points that were selected, and the
following will get added to the Object Tree:
If no state variable was being plotted when the points were
tracked, then the following will be shown in the Object Tree:
When a state variable is selected from the State Variable
pull-down menu, the point tracking graph for the three points will
appear in the DISPLAY window.
Click the icon to play the through the steps. You will notice
that the corresponding step on the Point Tracking plot also gets
highlighted as the steps change. Click the icon to stop the step
playback. Now click anywhere on the Point Tracking graph - the
selected step shown in the DISPLAY window should change to match
the location selected in the graph.
3.4.4. Slicing Objects
In DEFORM-3D it is possible to slice an object and then view
different state variables within the object. Let's first hide the
Point Tracking graph by right-clicking the Point Tracking in the
Object Tree and selecting the Hide PointTracking option.
Click the icon to open the SLICING window. The objects can be
sliced in several different ways. The objects in the DISPLAY window
have a yellow rectangular box surrounding them. By clicking on a
vertical edge of the box, a horizontal slicing plane will be
created. By clicking on a horizontal edge of the box, a vertical
slicing plane will be created. Click the yellow box in several
locations to experiment with this slicing option.
The slicing planes are defined by a point on a plane and a
normal direction to that plane. These are designated in the SLICING
window by P (Point) and N (Normal).
The objects can also be sliced by selecting the X, Y, or Z
coordinate of the Point and then using the slider bar to drag that
coordinate up or down. As the slider moves, the objects will be
dynamically sliced. Click the X coordinate of the Point, as circled
below, and then drag the slider back andforth to slice the
objects.
Several options are available for determining how the sliced
surfaces are displayed.
3.5. Exiting DEFORM-3D
When you are finished, exit the Post-processor by clicking the
Exit icon. When you are back in the MAIN window, exit DEFORM-3D by
clicking .