Method for operating a forming press

A method for operating a forming press which has a plurality of press components, a plurality of tool components, a force sensor, and a force actuator, comprising the acts of:

• carrying out a forming simulation which takes into consideration an elastic behavior of the plurality of press components and the plurality of tool components of the forming press by modeling the plurality of press components and the plurality of tool components not only as rigid bodies but as deformable bodies which have the elastic behavior, wherein the plurality of press components includes a pressure pad, a tabletop, and a ram, and wherein the plurality of tool components includes a top box, a bottom box, a female die, a male die, a sheet holder, and drawing aids;
• determining desired values of forces acting on at least one press component of the plurality of press components and on at least one tool component of the plurality of tool components by the forming simulation;
• and
• carrying out a forming process by the forming press wherein, during the forming process, actual values of forces acting on the at least one press component of the plurality of press components and on the at least one tool component of the plurality of tool components are measured by the force sensor and the force actuator is activated by a signal via a control circuit such that the actual values correspond to the desired values from the forming simulation, and wherein a feed differential for the force actuator is not converted into the signal.