Novel approach to initial blank design in deep drawing using artificial neural network

In the deep drawing process, the initial blank has a simple shape but its perimeter shape becomes very complex after drawing. If the initial blank shape is designed in such a way that it is formed directly into the desired shape by the drawing process, this will lead to a reduction in the trimming process and a decrease in the drawing force and raw material. The present paper proposes a novel approach to the initial blank optimization in deep drawing by using an artificial neural network (ANN) to obtain the shape of the initial blank in one step. The finite element method (FEM) is employed for simulating the deep drawing process to provide training data for the ANN. The aim of the neural network is to predict the initial blank shape for the desired final shape. Results from sensitivity analysis and experimental tests were compared. The FEM results were verified through experiment.