Design of Profile Ring Rolling by Backward Simulation Using Upper Bound Element Technique (UBET)

The upper bound element technique (UBET) is used to determine the optimum intermediate shape for profile ring rolling using backward simulation. The lowest energy rate is the key issue in achieving the optimal intermediate shape as well as the backward simulation of the process. The plastic flow of material in ring rolling is assumed to be a sequence of successive closed-die forging processes. The ring is divided into features, which provide an approximated profile consisting of a number of rectangular elements. The simulation of the profile ring rolling was tested with different profiles of rolls, and two such cases are presented here. The present method was validated using an experimental radial ring rolling mill designed and fabricated in the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering at Ohio University for the investigation of both cold and hot ring rolling processes. As the results show, this technique is capable of solving the backward simulation of profile ring rolling problems in a much shorter time compared to the finite element method (FEM), which cannot easily simulate profile ring rolling. Moreover, as an engineering tool, this approach can be applied effectively to the profile ring rolling process and can serve as a useful tool in industrial applications.