Plastic forming is an important processing method of metal materials, and its process quality control is very difficult. In the past 20 years, the simulation technology of plastic working process has developed rapidly and become the most active research hotspot and technology frontier in this field. Plastic forming simulation technology is under the guidance of metal plastic processing theory, through numerical simulation, dynamic simulation of material processing process, predict the quality and performance of the formed parts under the actual process conditions, and then realize the optimization design of plastic processing technology. It will make plastic processing from "skill" to "science".

The research of this direction includes sheet metal forming, bulk forming and so on, including forming process analysis, forming defect prediction, process parameter optimization and so on. At present, a number of national, ministerial and provincial projects have covered the research content in this direction, and more than 50 related academic papers have been published, including more than 10 papers included in SCI and EI. In recent years, this direction has become a hot topic of thesis selection for postgraduates, and nearly 20 postgraduates have been trained.

At present, a number of relevant degree courses and elective courses have been offered for doctoral, master and undergraduate students:

● Variational theory and numerical analysis method (doctoral degree course);

● Computer simulation of material preparation forging part (doctoral degree course);

● Plastic deformation theory and finite element method (optional course for doctoral students);

● Simulation of metal plastic forming process (Doctoral elective course);

● Numerical simulation of material processing forging part (Master degree course);

● Elastoplastic finite element method (optional course for master students);

● Finite element method (optional course for undergraduates);

● Numerical calculation and variational method of material forming (optional course for undergraduates);