Numerical model accuracy of solid and shell elements when simulating the roll forming process

Conventional roll forming is a common manufacturing process that incrementally bends a sheet into a desired cross-section by passing it though successive sets of rolls. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is increasingly used in roll forming process design, but generally incurs large computational costs due to the specific nature of the process involving the forming of continuous sheet over multiple stands. This paper analyses the model accuracy achievable when using solid and shell elements for roll forming simulations in Abaqus. To establish the reliability of the numerical models, convergence and sensitivity studies were performed with each element type to determine the appropriate mesh densities and element properties. The simulation results were compared to the experimental results for bow, springback and longitudinal strains. The results indicate that shell elements with proper meshing strategy lead to better model accuracy compared to solid elements and this is achieved with significantly reduced computational costs.