Engineers Can Validate Tooling and Processes with Sheet Metal Simulation Tool

The high correlation between the PAM-STAMP simulation (on the left) and the 3D scanned manufactured part (on the right) demonstrates the accuracy of PAM-STAMP. (Image courtesy of Aethra.)

Engineers designing tooling to stamp sheet metal parts must anticipate how the sheet metal will behave when it is removed from the die. Traditionally, the designer draws on prior experience, training and rules or guidelines to anticipate whether the part will split, stretch and wrinkle as it is formed.

However, anticipating complex behaviors for increasingly complex sheet metal parts can be challenging. As a result, engineers often must revise their initial tool designs to develop tooling that will reliably mass produce sheet metal parts.

Thanks to computer-aided engineering (CAE), engineers can now save significant development time and improve accuracy by simulating the sheet metal forming processes to validate their tooling designs without having to machine and test physical dies.

PAM-STAMP 2017 is the newest release of ESI Group’s sheet forming simulation software. It provides a complete end-to-end solution that validates progressive, transfer and line sheet metal dies as well as tool surface design.

PAM-STAMP 2017 provides an improved user interface and features that enhance efficiency, accuracy and performance, including:

Streamlined workflow process—Users save time with the new streamlined workflow process that reduces the number of clicks required. Users can more easily set up the entire end-to-end stamp process with the new horizontal work flow that is more intuitive and user friendly.
New operations management—Engineers can define global layouts for multiple operations with the new Operations Manager, and easily define kinematics and add and modify tools with the new Process Editor.
Faster analysis—Analysis is three to five times faster with the default Triple Speed mode used by PAM-STAMP. Engineers can achieve more accurate results by running full resolution simulations with the faster solver. The new solver completes the simulations within a reasonable time and allows engineers to avoid having to simplify the simulation by reducing the number of points, reducing the mesh resolution, or using other techniques to reduce computational requirements at the expense of accuracy and quality.
Advances simulation—Detailed modeling of tools and dies allows fast and accurate final validation of tooling.

For more information on PAM-STAMP, read: Die Face Design Solution Cuts Tooling Development Time.