Sheet metal forming and assembly simulation method

A method for manufacturing an assembled part, comprising a computer-implemented method for simulating and optimising a process of forming and assembling parts, wherein the process comprises

• at least one forming process using a forming tool for generating at least one associated formed part, in particular from a sheet metal blank, and
• an assembly process for generating an assembled part from the at least one formed part and at least one second part,
• wherein the computer-implemented method comprises performing the following steps:
• in a forming simulation step, simulating the at least one forming process by a forming simulation, thereby generating a sprung back part simulation model corresponding to a reference geometry of the at least one formed part, the sprung back part simulation model comprising a sprung back part simulated geometry and a sprung back part simulated internal state;
• in an assembly simulation step, after the forming simulation step, simulating the assembly process by an assembly simulation, based on the sprung back part simulation model of the at least one formed part, and generating an assembled sprung back part simulated geometry;
• in a comparison step, after the assembly simulation step, comparing the assembled sprung back part simulated geometry to the reference geometry;
• if the assembled sprung back part simulated geometry does not match the reference geometry, continuing at the above assembly simulation step, using in the sprung back part simulation model a compensated sprung back part geometry instead of the sprung back part simulated geometry, thereby generating, in an assembly operation iteration loop, iterated versions of the assembled sprung back part simulated geometry;
• if the assembled sprung back part simulated geometry matches the reference geometry, continuing with the following final step, wherein
• the compensated sprung back part geometry corresponding to the assembled sprung back part simulated geometry that matches the reference geometry is considered to be an optimised compensated sprung back part geometry,
• in a final step of the computer-implemented method, after the comparison step, for the at least one formed part, determining a compensated tool geometry and parameters defining a corresponding process for manufacturing the at least one formed part with its sprung back part simulated geometry being based on the optimised compensated sprung back part geometry,
• the method for manufacturing further comprising the following steps, in the following order,
• in a manufacturing step, manufacturing the forming tool with a shape defined by the compensated tool geometry,
• in the forming process, using the forming tool, manufacturing the at least one formed part from a blank, the forming tool determining a shape of the at least one formed part after the forming process;
• in the assembly process, manufacturing the assembled part by joining and assembling the at least one formed part and the at least one second part;
• thereby causing, after the process of forming and assembling parts is performed, the at least one part to have a shape according to the reference geometry, with deformations caused by the forming process being compensated for according to the forming simulation step and deformations caused by the assembly process being compensated for according to the assembly operation iteration loop.