Simulation and process optimization of forging formation for the upper lateral arm

The steel upper lateral arm is a critical load-bearing component of off-road vehicles. This part features significant cross-sectional variations and a complex geometry, including forked sections and high ribs that pose challenges for forging. To address these challenges, Deform-3D software was utilized to simulate the forging process, followed by forging trials on an existing 22000-ton press production line. Simulation results indicate that the blanking-die forging process yields excellent forming outcomes. While the trial-produced forged parts were fully formed, their lugs exhibited outward deformation after trimming. Subsequently, the lugs were corrected using clamp tooling, resulting in upper lateral arm forged parts with satisfactory shape, dimensions, and performance.