85% Accuracy Rate Realized During First Tryouts with AutoForm Customer: Fabest Corporation

A Case Study from Japan – Implementing
AutoForm and AutoForm-DieDesigner

AutoForm has a store of success stories from Japan which have not seen the light of day in the English speaking world. This blog post introduces the first release of that series, starting with a case study at Fabest Corporation.

Fabest Corporation is a leading company specialized in designing and manufacturing dies for automotive parts, in particular large scale progressive dies.

AutoForm R5 was the version implemented during the initiative. After further introducing AutoForm-DieDesigner Fabest not only significantly reduced their number of work steps within just 6 months but reduced the turnaround time for designing finalized die layouts.

Here are some interesting results from that case study:

Reaching 85% Accuracy at First Tryouts

Fabest conducts simulations using the latest versions of AutoForm Incremental, which is a simulation software for press forming the shape of a stamping die and AutoForm-Trim, a software for automatically determining trim lines. By reflecting the results of past tryouts and know-how, Fabest obtains reliable data during the simulation phase and then adjusts pressed panels and CAE data. As a result, the particular behavior or unique spring-back characteristics of the press operation are resolved during the simulation phase, and thus Fabest achieved an 85% accuracy at the first tryouts of new production in 2014.

As for the 590 to 980MPA high tensile steel, accounting for 56% of the material used: accuracy increased from 72% in 2011 to 86.6% in the 2014 period.

Now at Fabest CAE results are utilized starting from new production phases for manufacturing processes such as fabrication of blank/trim development and nesting, to minimize the number of reworks and to reduce the length of development periods. Fabest states that the same accuracy can be achieved even for more complex large scale progressive dies of 20 tons or heavier.

Yoshikazu Arai, from the Design Engineering Division, values the operability of AutoForm, stating, “Operation is simple and the method of the settings can be acquired in short practice. Even new employees can master its commonly used operations. When actually using the software, you’ll find that little effort is required for preparing calculations, as DieDesigner and Incremental work well together. Once you get used to the process it can all be done in 30 minutes. The calculation speed is also much faster than other simulation softwares. We can verify various parts of various types in just one day.”

AutoForm-DieDesigner reduced the CAE
analysis modeling process by 60%

Previously the modeling of tool data was time consuming at Fabest. After the modeling the form, the modeling data was sent to AutoForm for CAE analysis, followed by the creation of the die layouts (fabrication instruction drawings). However, instead of using the 3D CAD software to model the tool, they examined optimum modeling using DieDesigner and then started the die layouts. This reduced the number of work steps, corrections and man-hours that are required leading up to the start of the die layout process by 40%.

“In the past, once we received orders, it took about three weeks to generate the surface model, to simulate and examine the CAE modeling. We used to have to this wait before submitting designs to clients. Now that we only need a week to finish modeling and have the CAE result, we can provide well examined solid data to our clients at an early stage. At times, we even bring our laptops to our clients, installed with AutoForm software, to explain the CAE analysis results directly. As a result, we can undertake design changes for the product shape early on, and we can start manufacturing dies after the major concerns have been eradicated.” Sasaki, Fabest Corporation.

Yoshinori Kaneko, Chief of the Design Engineering Division,
Yoshio Sasaki and Yoshikazu Arai from the same division

“AutoForm’s software is now a necessity for Fabest, and we will continue with our trajectory to improve the accuracy at the first tryouts, reduce lead time, achieve further cost reduction, and promote technological innovation in order to achieve Fabest’s slogan, ‘Improve intellectual competitiveness and strive for reducing prices.” Kobayashi, Executive Director.