A Meshless approach based on a Reproducing Kernel Particle Method is developed for metal forming analysis. In this approach, the displacement shape functions are constructed using the reproducing kernel approximation that satis®es consistency conditions. The variational equation of materials with loading-path dependent behavior and contact conditions is formulated with reference to the current con®guration. A Lagrangian kernel function, and its corresponding reproducing kernel shape function, are constructed using material coordinates for the Lagrangian discretization of the variational equation. The spatial derivatives of the Lagrangian reproducing kernel shape functions involved in the stress computation of path-dependent materials are performed by an inverse mapping that requires the inversion of the deformation gradient. A collocation formulation is used in the discretization of the boundary integral of the contact constraint equations formulated by a penalty method. By the use of a transformation method, the contact constraints are imposed directly on the contact nodes, and consequently the contact forces and their associated stiffness matrices are formulated at the nodal coordinate. Numerical examples are given to verify the accuracy of the proposed meshless method for metal forming analysis.

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The demand for more efficient manufacturing processes has been increasing in the last few years. The cold forging process is presented as a possible solution, because it allows the production of parts with a good surface finish and with good mechanical properties. Nevertheless, the cold forming sequence design is very empirical and it is based on the designer experience. The computational modeling of each forming process stage by the finite element method can make the sequence design faster and more efficient, decreasing the use of conventional "trial and error" methods. In this study, the application of a commercial general finite element software - ANSYS - has been applied to model a forming operation. Models have been developed to simulate the ring compression test and to simulate a basic forming operation (upsetting) that is applied in most of the cold forging parts sequences. The simulated upsetting operation is one stage of the automotive starter parts manufacturing process. Experiments have been done to obtain the stress-strain material curve, the material flow during the simulated stage, and the required forming force. These experiments provided results used as numerical model input data and as validation of model results. The comparison between experiments and numerical results confirms the developed methodology potential on die filling prediction

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