Finite Element Simulation of Flexible Roll Forming with Supplemented Material Data and the Experimental Verification

Flexible roll forming is a promising manufacturing method for the production of variable cross section products. Considering the large plastic strain in this forming process which is much larger than that of uniform deformation phase of uniaxial tensile test, the widely adopted method of simulating the forming processes with non-supplemented material data from uniaxial tensile test will certainly lead to large error. To reduce this error, the material data is supplemented based on three constitutive models. Then a finite element model of a six passes flexible roll forming process is established based on the supplemented material data and the original material data from the uniaxial tensile test. The flexible roll forming experiment of a B pillar reinforcing plate is carried out to verify the proposed method. Final cross section shapes of the experimental and the simulated results are compared. It is shown that the simulation calculated with supplemented material data based on Swift model agrees well with the experimental results, while the simulation based on original material data could not predict the actual deformation accurately. The results indicate that this material supplement method is reliable and indispensible, and the simulation model can well reflect the real metal forming process. Detailed analysis of the distribution and history of plastic strain at different positions are performed. A new material data supplement method is proposed to tackle the problem which is ignored in other roll forming simulations, and thus the forming process simulation accuracy can be greatly improved.

Low-cost,large-coverage,and high-flexibility coherent PON for next-generation access networks:advances,challenges,and prospects[Invited]

Increasing bandwidth requirements have posed significant challenges for traditional access networks.It is difficult for intensity modulation/direct detection to meet the power budget and flexibility requirements of the next-generation passive optical network(PON)at 100G and beyond considering the new requirements.This is driving researchers to develop novel optical access technologies.Low-cost,wide-coverage,and high-flexibility coherent PON is emerging as a strong contender in the competition.In this article,we will review technologies that reduce the complexity of coherent PON(CPON),enabling it to meet the commercial requirements.Also,advanced algorithms and architectures that can enhance system coverage and flexibility are also discussed.