Intelligent control scheme of divided blank holder for square-cup deep-drawing process

To extend the potentially applicable process of the database- and Finite-Element-Method (FEM)-assisted system for the intelligent control (DFMASIC) of press systems for circular-cup deep-drawing, previously developed by the authors, the control system concept was applied to the divided and variable Blank-Holding-Pressure (BHP) control in the process. The basic idea proposed is that each divided controllable part, the straight part and corner part of the blank holder, may be considered and controlled individually as a circular-cup-drawing portion. For the divided and variable BHP control in the square-cup drawing, the results of the DFMASIC system show an enhancement of more than 40% for the maximum drawn cup height, compared with experimental results. Consequently, it is verified that the DFMASIC system is applicable to the square-cup drawing process as well as for circular-cup drawing.