Using the particle finite element method for predicting optimum shear cutting clearance

The shear cutting process, which is the most common cutting technique in the sheet forming industry, is known for introducing damage to the cut edges of high strength metal. This damage may impair the forming- or fatigue properties of the material and can cause edge-cracking during forming or in-service part failure. The edge formability of a sheared edge is strongly linked with the appearance of large notches arising due to unfavorable process parameters. By numerical modelling of the shear cutting process with the possibility to vary important process parameters, the sheared edge damage can be detected and avoided in the manufacturing process. This work present numerical modelling of shear cutting in Advanced High Strength Steel using a novel Particle Finite Element Method approach. Numerical modelling of shear cutting processes over a large range of cutting clearances were conducted and validated against laboratory experiment results. The results showed that the PFEM modelling could detect the cut edge damages with the largest negative impact on formability, thus narrowing the feasible cutting clearance range.