Application of Finite Element Analysis to the Curving or Sweeping of Roll Formed Sections for Vehicle Body Structures 910207

Controlling or reducing the amount of cross sectional distortion is of primary concern in sweepings of roll formed sections. Many sections could be used in production with an acceptable amount of distortion, provided the designer could account for this distortion early in the design. A design analysis technique based on a finite element model has been developed to predict the distortion and fracture during the sweeping of roll formed sections. A nonlinear finite element program, ABAQUS, is used to calculate elastic-plastic deformation of a section subjected to bending. Several generic sections have been modeled. The correlation between the calculated results and experimental measurements in distortion of two different cross sections is quite reasonable.

This design analysis technique is an effective tool to predict the sectional distortion and fracture during the sweeping of roll formed sections of any arbitrary shape. It can be applied to sweeping with or without mandrel support.