Extraction of the Optimal Range of Roll Forming Process Parameters Via Minimizing of the Longitudinal Strain and Spring Back Using Contour Plots

In this study, U section cold roll forming process has been analyzed by finite element (FE) method and the effect of the process parameters on the longitudinal strain and spring back has been investigated using response surface method (RSM). Then optimized range of the parameters have been determined using the contour plots. The FE model has been verified using the experimental results. Required experiments have been designed using central composite design. In this design roll diameter, linear velocity of the blank and distance and number of stands are considered as input variables and spring back and maximum plastic longitudinal strain are considered as response functions. Results show that the RSM models the effect of input parameters on the response functions with acceptable precision. According to obtained model, increasing distance the stands and rolls diameters cause to decrease of the spring back or increase the angular precision and increasing of the linear velocity of the sheet leads to increasing the spring back. Increasing stands distance and roll diameter, lead to decreasing the average plastic longitudinal strain and increasing the linear velocity the sheet leads to increasing the average plastic longitudinal strain. Also optimization results represent decreasing of the spring back and maximum plastic longitudinal strain.