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Deep drawing and ironing are the major processes used today in manufacturing of most beverage cans from aluminum. The same technology is utilized in manufacturing of steel cans for the food industry. The practical aspects of this technology are well known and gained through extensive experimentation and production know-how. The fundamental aspects of the processes, however, are relatively less known, especially regarding the temperature developed during deformation and the effect of deformation speed upon temperatures and lubrication. Thus, it is expected that process simulations using FEM techniques would provide additional detailed information that could be utilized to improve the process conditions. This paper illustrates the application of process modeling to deep drawing and ironing operations. The predictions agree well with the experimental results.

In sheet metal forming, drawbeads are often used to control uneven material flow which may cause defects such as wrinkles, fractures, surface distortion and springback. Appropriate setting and adjusting the drawbead force is one of the most important parameters in sheet forming process control. However, drawbead design and drawbead force adjustment still rely on trial-and-error procedures. This paper summarizes the guidelines in drawbead design, evaluates a number of mathematical models in estimating drawbead forces, and investigates the effects of sheet thickness, material properties, drawbead geometry and penetration on the drawbead force.