Design Rules for Sheet Metalworking Based on Design for Manufacture (DFM) Methodology

Sheet metal design is a critical part in the process of product design and development. The entire quality of design influences the product performance, product quality and cost of product. An optimal design can only be created based on experiences and knowledge. The problem of frequent redesign occurs due to have no well-documented rules in designing of sheet metalworking. This paper presents the investigation into the use of CAD tools and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for the design parameters of sheet metalworking as part of Design for Manufacture (DFM) methodology. Moreover, the design rules analysis of sheet metalworking that influences the bending process will be discussed by using CAD FEA in order to determine the safety factor and simulate the structural of bending parts. Design parameters will be focused on thickness, bend angle, and type of materials. The result showed there were significant relationship between bend allowance and bending force in order to determine the safe area in designing of sheet metalworking. In addition, the experiments were conducted to validate the model. As a result, a comprehensive set of design rules for sheet metalworking was generated and assisted in reducing an infeasible design and cost at the design stage