Design and manufacturing of a straight bevel gear in hot precision forging process using finite volume method and CAD/CAE technology

Forging simulation offers significant cost and time advantages by providing detailed insight into the forging process before tool selection and process decisions are made on the shop floor. Process data such as material flow, stresses, strains and temperature are readily accessible to a user at any point throughout the simulation process, as well as at any location within the forged part. Potential defects such as laps and under-fill of die cavities can be easily identified and corrected before part production begins. In addition, the influence of the process conditions such as lubrication and pre-form can be easily quantified and assessed. In the present work, hot precision forging process of the straight bevel gear is simulated numerically using finite volume method and computer-aided design/computer-aided engineering technology. The required force for the forging process, as well as the final shape of the bevel gear, is determined through numerical estimation. The simulation results are confirmed through the comparison with the experimental data available in DIN standards. Finally, the pre-form dies, the final die, and the bevel gear are manufactured. It is concluded that this method can be effectively used to optimize the forging process to maximize the mechanical strength, minimize material scrap, and hence reduce the overall cost of manufacture.