Full control by volume simulation for sheet metal forming - Stampack
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USER REPORT
For difficult forming operations,
Fütterer Werkzeugbau relies
on Stampack. The simulation
software convinces the special-
ist for transfer, deep-drawing
and progressive dies especially
in terms of flexibility, efficiency
and optimisation potential.
1/ The interview partners: Christian Fütterer
(l.) and Frank Hornung from Men at Work
Full control by volume simulation
for sheet metal forming
Founded in 1986, Fütterer While turning, milling, grinding, The toolmaker clearly sees his
Werkzeugbau with its 35 em- wire and sink erosion are carried core competence in method plan-
ployees today is an expert in the out in-house, hardening is done ning and tool design: "Custom-
design and manufacturing of externally. The Baden-based ers often contact us with the first
high-quality sheet metal forming company delivers the tools it pro- idea of a component. We then
tools as well as prototypes and duces - processing sheet metal offer the entire portfolio - product
prototype tools. The family-owned from 0.4 to 5 mm - to customers development, feasibility analysis,
company, located in Elchesheim- in the automotive, construction, forming simulation, optimisa-
Illingen near Karlsruhe, Germany, household appliance and electri- tion," Managing director Christian
manufactures about 30 tools cal industries. In addition, Fütterer Fütterer explains. "Very important
per year. Depending on size and is also active as a contract service for the customers are the toler-
complexity, the lead time of a tool provider; the range of services ances and reliable data on mate-
can be up to 24 weeks. The tools extends from CNC-turned parts to rial consumption and stroke rates.
weighing up to 10 tons are tested single-part production and form- We consider how the part can be
on the company's own test press. ing simulation. produced, how many steps are
2a + b/ In the simulation of an exhaust system component, Stampack calculates multi-stage forming processes completely in volume (A).
The component of a car exhaust system will later be installed in a Porsche (B)
12 The mold & die journal 1/2021 www.fachverlag-moeller.de
USER REPORT
necessary, which operations are
carried out in which sequence,
how large the required blanks
must be or what strip width is re-
quired". A great deal of know-how
and design engineering hours are
already involved in the phase be-
fore the offer is made. This is the
reason why Fütterer often makes
an invoice for complex tools as
early as the quotation stage,
which is charged when the order
is placed.
VISI, a product family for tool and
mould making currently compris-
ing 22 modules from Hexagon
(formerly Vero Software), was
recently installed at Fütterer. In
a first step the CAM and Pro-
gress modules of the 3D industry
solution will be used at Fütterer.
For around four years now, the
toolmaker has been relying on
Stampack, an advanced and pro-
ductive simulation software for all
areas of metal forming.
"Stampack's highlights include
stretch forming, forming of thick
sheets, fast springback and com-
pensation determination, stretch
forming of sheets and profiles,
and other special forming pro-
3a + b/ Original part and simulation in Stampack - the simulation software allows Fütterer
cesses. Due to its own 3D volume
to analyse and predict material flow, formability, wrinkles and surface defects
solver, Stampack is particularly
suitable for the calculation and
simulation of progressive die pro- Bietigheim, which is which is tool design and development
cesses," Frank Hornung explains, located near by , has been sell- When commissioning Stampack,
He is Managing Director of Men at ing the simulation software since the Baden-based company took
Work GmbH, the most success- 2009. Fütterer was so impressed a special approach, similar to
ful Stampack dealer worldwide. by the first Stampack applica- on-the-job training. A software
"The practice-oriented software tion that the desire to bring the developer from Men at Work, who
is intended for product develop- system in-house quickly arose. had never held a piece of sheet
ers and method planners alike. "The main reason for purchasing metal in his hands before, came
Previous knowledge and practical the software was that I no longer to Fütterer for a fortnight. Through
experience in FEM is not required, want to outsource the know-how two concrete projects he learned
after three days of training expe- contained in our designs. After all, how a tool works and the tool-
rienced designers can work with I no longer wanted to pay others maker learned how the software
Stampack without any problems". money for supplying them with works. So it's a classic win-win
Since both companies have my knowledge," Christian Fütterer situation for both sides. Fütterer
been working together more than looks back. Finding employees supplies 95% of the tools ready
twenty years in tool design and who are familiar with the design for series production, only the
method planning Fütterer pur- and simulation of tools is becom- training and finishing are carried
chased forming simulation as a ing increasl difficult. Modern out at the customer's premises
service from Men at Work in the simulation tools increase the on the series press. This is why
beginning. Men at Work from attractiveness of the workplace in Stampack is first used during an
www.fachverlag-moeller.de The mold & die journal 1/2021 13
USER REPORT
4/ One of the essential new features of
Stampack is the automated cross-linking of
tools from external data, without the user
having to introduce parameters
order for method planning, which am absolutely sure". Since analyse and predict material flow,
is the basis for calculation. The Stampack impressed the tool- formability, wrinkles and sur-
elaboration of the method plan- maker so much after the first or- face defects," Christian Fütterer
ning can take up to two weeks, ders, he is now offering simulation draws a positive conclusion. "The
usually in teamwork of the three as a service to his customers. optimisation potential thanks to
designers in house. Various ques- Stampack has proven to be the determination of springback
tions have to be answered, such absolutely reliable at Fütterer with compensation calculation for
as the number of steps in the tool, Werkzeugbau.. One software li- tool adjustment should also be
whether the tool can be formed cence is used by the boss himself emphasised. Another significant
in one operation, how big the tool in Elchesheim-Illingen, another advantage for us is the efficiency
will be, whether the method works one for the design engineers of Stampack, because the use of
and which press is required. increases the capacities. In practi- the software saves us at least two
Stampack is used for testing with cal use, the simulation software change loops per tool".
a pre-simulation, initially only in offers the Baden-based company
the shell simulation. "It's a kind numerous advantages: For ex-
of quick and dirty variant that ample, its flexibility, as it makes
doesn't require so much comput- calculations for sheet thick-
ing time and gives me a rough nesses from 0.4 to 6 mm. "We are Stampack GmbH
indication of whether the motion also impressed by the element Stampack GmbH was founded in
sequence will work," Christian technology, because Stampack 2018 and acquired the Stampack
Fütterer describes. "For critical supplies both shell and 3D vol- product line for metal forming
areas I simulate in volume, then I ume simulations. And allows us to simulation software from Quantech
ATZ in Barcelona, Spain. The com-
pany took over the development
5/ Previous knowledge team and the entire operational
as well as practical business from the previous owner.
experience in FEM is
Since its market launch in 2010,
not required. After three
days of training, expe- Stampack has become the leading
rienced designers can simulation in the field of progres-
work with Stampack sive dies. Thanks to enormous
without any problems improvements in the comput-
(Pictures: Stampack) ing speed of its own shell solver,
Stampack is now also suitable for
large-area automotive parts. Since
2018, the computing time for a
benchmark simulation has been
reduced from over 6 hours to 24
minutes. The practice-oriented
software is equally interesting for
product developers and method
planners. Previous knowledge and
practical experience in FEM is not
required.
14 The mold & die journal 1/2021 www.fachverlag-moeller.de
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