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Forming Analysis Applications -
"One-Step" & "Incremental"

What are the Differences?

There are two types of analysis systems that are used in sheetmetal die designing and building - one-step (or crash) analysis systems and incremental analysis systems.  Which one to use depends on the job to be done.  The considerations (grossly stated) include but are not limited to the following:

 

One-Step Analysis
Systems

Incremental Analysis Systems
Different Solutions

Forming Suite
Dynaform BSE

Dynaform

What is analyzed

3D IGES Parts

A set of die surfaces
Speed of the analysis

Fast (5 minutes)

Slower (hours)
Accuracy

Depends on the system

Extremely accurate
Use in estimating

To develop blanks & perform an initial forming analysis

Typically no - die surfaces must be defined to analyze
Use in engineering

To develop blanking contours and to assist in the initial design of form stations

To prove out a die design by showing the forming of a part based on a set of surfaces
Relative Cost

Low to medium

Medium to high

Which system to use depends on more factors than can be considered in a table.  Please call a Compass Representative to consider your specific needs.

One-Step (Crash) Analysis Systems

One-Step analysis systems are used in both the estimating department and the engineering department.  Estimating departments like them because their analysis is based on a customer part file which is typically all that is available during the estimating process.  They are used in determining material costs by unfolding a part to a blank.  And are also used to do an initial forming analysis to ensure easy formability later in production.

Engineering departments use One-Step analysis as a tool in the development of die surfaces.  In this regard, engineers should consider the feature set in different products to ensure he has the correct set of tools for developing his dies.

   

Incremental Analysis Systems

Once a set of die surfaces have been designed (commonly called "soft tooling"), incremental analysis systems are used to determine if the newly designed surfaces will perform as expected - before die steels are cut.  And because of the technologies employed, their results are deathly accurate.

What's more, an incremental analysis can be run on a 3D part as it is formed forward to a second 3D part (the situation in progressive dies and line dies as parts move forward from station to station). 

The results coming from an incremental system can take the form of reports (3D color-coded graphics that show areas of stress, strain, and thinning) and .avi files (computer movie files) that show frame-by-frame the forming of a part in a die, and exactly when and where things don't work the way anticipated.

 
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