Application of the Finite Element Method to the Forming Process of a CV Joint

The current metal forming practice is largely based on experzence and trial and error techniques. Major objectives of analytical modelling of metal forming is to become a source of the necessary information for proper design and control of metal forming processes and to help in reducing the number of expensive trials necessary to set up a new forming operation. The paper is aimed at presenting the application of the finite element method to forming of a CV joint for the automotive industry. The emphasis is on the application itself rather than on the theoretical developments which make this simulation possible. The code' FORGE2 has been used, which is suitable for analysing 2D geometries, namely long or axisymmetrical products. For this reason, deviations from rotational symmetry have been neglected in the forging process simulation of the component.