M.M Mahdavi - Mechanical Engineering Department, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
H Haghighat - Mechanical Engineering Department, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

The assessment of the influence of the work-hardening of material on the optimum die profile and drawing force  in rod drawing process is the main objective of the present paper. The upper bound solution, based on the assumption of perfect plasticity, has been extended to consider the work-hardening of the material during the rod drawing process through curved dies. Analytical results of drawing forces for rod drawing process through four different types of streamlined die profiles are compared with the finite element simulation data using the finite element code, DEFORM 2D. It is shown that as the work-hardening exponent increases, the optimum die length increases, the required drawing force decreases and maximum possible reduction in area increases. Based on this proposed  modeling technique, drawing process of real materials through various curved dies can be optimized.                        

Rod drawing, Work-hardening, Upper bound analysis