Method planning for deep drawing in the production of workpieces with variable shapes

Manufacturing deep drawing parts, e. g. car bodies, method planning as a step of development is used for designing and harmonising the forming operations. The result of method planning is a process which is as stable as possible to produce a part of a fix geometry. The ability to vary the drawing depth can be an advantage to develop a great number of variants at a small amount of time. However, different drawing depths make it difficult to set up a stable process. An AI model can be trained with process data and later be used for assisting the setup process for production. This paper deals with the method planning of a multistage process by means of a commercial simulation software to produce an exemplary part. A typical process of method planning serves as a template for the considerations in this paper. First, a preliminary sheet metal pre-cut and the number and sequence of operations are defined. Secondly, the arrangement of the active die surfaces, the design of the punch and the blank holder are determined. Finally, the process limits are determined as a function of various parameters.