Metal Forming

The knowledge of material properties of a sheet metal material provides a secure basis for adequate component design, for developing a functioning tool with good effective surfaces and for realistic simulation.

Realistic material properties are a prerequisite for reliable simulation and optimization of product variants, tool layout and forming processes.

The ARAMIS system helps to determine these material properties.

3D digitization helps to quickly generate and efficiently use CAD data.

Actual 3D coordinates enable reverse engineering of models, parts and tools. For that, the 3D geometry of these objects is fully scanned and then transferred into CAD data via surface reconstruction.

The inspection of parts can be carried out efficiently. During design, the CAD data is directly provided with inspection features. As soon as a part is produced, it can be inspected immediately.

Optical measuring systems provide fully automated full-field deviations between the complete actual 3D coordinates and the CAD data.

Products and manufacturing processes are designed and optimized with numerical simulation methods. The results of these simulations are supposed to be as informative as possible.

An important factor for the simulation of metal forming processes are the material properties of the metal used. The material properties influence the deformation behavior of the part and therefore the accuracy of the simulation calculation.

With the ARGUS system, it is possible to check and optimize forming simulations based on experimental measurements.

Industrial 3D measurement technology helps to address many important challenges concerning the manufacturing and the use of tools in metal forming.

Certain tasks in toolmaking can be significantly accelerated with optical measuring systems. In tool try-out, tools can be quickly assessed to check if they work properly. In tool maintenance, 3D metrology is useful for increasing the service life of tools. If a tool is broken, it can be quickly repaired using measurement technology.

ATOS and ARAMIS systems digitize the tool and the try-out parts and create precise values for tool corrections.

First article inspection is a test to examine whether the produced part meets the defined requirements under the conditions of series production.

For this purpose, a complete inspection of the measurement plan is carried out, form and position tolerances are measured and full-field deviations of the produced part are compared to its CAD model.

The ATOS system allows for a full-field first article inspection in 3D.

Industrial 3D measurement technology makes it possible to automate series inspection and to monitor the production process.

In quality assurance, optical measuring systems are used to check parts during series production. Such measuring systems enable high throughput and high reproducibility of measurements.

They allow for trend analyses to guarantee the process reliability of production. This involves monitoring whether and to what extent the production process is changing.

ATOS systems combined with an ATOS ScanBox enable a high throughput of inspected parts in series production.

In assembly, the individual parts are analyzed and put together into assemblies. During this process, the produced parts are checked to assess how well they fit together, how well they can be joined and how a single actual part behaves in relation to the nominal model (CAD).

Usually, very complex physical fixtures are used for analyses during assembly.

Thanks to the ATOS system, these fixtures are no longer necessary and the assembly can be checked virtually.