Simulation of the slitting process with the finite element method

H.H. Wisselink, J. Huétink

University of Twente, The Netherlands

Slitting is a sheet metal cutting process used for dividing coiled sheet into narrower coils.
It is a stationary process in which the sheet is uncoiled, cut by circular blades into strips, that are simultaneously recoiled. A three-dimensional finite element model is developed for the calculation of the steady state of this process. An Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used to be able to handle history dependent material properties and moving free surfaces.
A crack front is modelled in the initial mesh. To investigate whether the assumed crack front is correct, a damage parameter is calculated.
The coupling between crackfront and damage is not implemented yet. Results from the simulations of the slitting process are given, in which the influence of some parameters on the process is investigated.

Keywords: Slitting, FEM, ALE, Ductile fracture