After the overview and GUI customisation, here we will talk about how you can save time when you run an analysis (or submit a job if that’s how you prefer to call it).

🕒 Section: How to Save Time in PAM-STAMP – Full Efficiency Tips

This section is all about speeding up your workflow and improving simulation quality while reducing setup time. These are golden rules from ESI to make PAM-STAMP smarter, faster, and more accurate.

🚚 Transfer CAD Data to PAM-STAMP or Visual-Environment with Care

To avoid time-wasting cleanup, export your CAD models properly. Native formats are good, but if they cause problems:

• Export as IGES
• Only use NURBS surfaces (also called B-Splines)

Tip: “Native” doesn’t mean “simple” — even native geometry can have messy math behind it.

Instead, import the CAD data into Visual CAD-Clean, then export it again. This process simplifies the surface math without changing the physical shape.

🧠 How to know it worked?

• Smaller file size
• Much faster meshing time

🧰 Use a Die Face Design Tool from ESI

Using ESI’s own die face design software can save up to 80% of simulation setup time.

You have two choices:

1. PAM-DIEMAKER for CATIA V5
2. Visual-DIEMAKER inside Visual-Environment

Both tools help you set up:

• Die geometry
• Process parameters
• Tooling structure

🔹 Setup in PAM-DIEMAKER for CATIA V5

You get direct export options into PAM-STAMP.

🔹 Setup in Visual-DIEMAKER

🖼️ Image: Export dialogue in Visual-Environment

Most parameters are already defined after import.

🖼️ Image: Transferred objects example when using ESI die tools

🧱 Work with V2015.1 or Later

If you’re still on an older version, you can update to latest version. Version V2015.1 or newer includes:

• Better operation/object definitions
• Predefined custom commands for checking mesh and results
• Streamlined toolbars
• Improved data validation tools

🧱 Get the Tool Mesh Right

Spending a little time understanding tool meshing logic saves a lot of time later.

🔧 Why It Matters:

• Better mesh = better accuracy (especially for contact behavior)
• PAM-STAMP assumes accurate contact by default (no blank/tool penetration allowed)
• Mesh is built based on geometry – if that’s off, mesh will be off too
• “Automatic” mesh ≠ “Good” mesh — your geometry must be clean

Use:

• Angle checks between elements
• Pre-processing toolbar
• Custom mesh check commands

🖼️ Image: Tool mesh checking icons and cracks visualization

🧵 Get the Blank Mesh Right

This is one of the most sensitive steps in simulation. The element size and refinement level determine simulation speed and accuracy.

🔍 Blank Meshing Parameters

Use the mesh size wizard on the blank setup page.

🧮 Automotive Example:

• Initial mesh size: 24 mm
• 4 mesh refinement levels = final element size: 3 mm
  • Great for quick feasibility simulations
• For validation:
  • Initial size: 12 mm
  • 5 levels = final size: 0.75 mm
  • More time, but more accurate

🖼️ Image: Mesh size wizard interface

📏 Advanced Mesh Size Rules

• Mesh size ≈ 2× the sliding fillet radius
• Final element size < radius of sliding fillet
• For springback simulations:
  Use element size < 25% of (fillet radius + half of blank thickness)

If the blank elongates a lot during sliding, start with a finer mesh to maintain accuracy throughout deformation.

📈 Adaptive Meshing Recommendation

Adaptive meshing is strongly recommended for:

• Speed improvements
• Lower memory usage

Each level halves the element size:

Initial size = final size × 2^n (where n = number of mesh refinement levels)

🖼️ Image: Blank meshing without vs. with adaptive meshing

🧪 Real Example:

• Smallest sliding fillet radius: 5 mm
• Blank thickness: 1 mm
• Desired: final element size = 25% × (5 + 0.5) = 1.375 mm
• Add 30% deformation → Pre-deformation target = 1.1 mm
• With 3 levels of refinement:
  Initial size ≈ 8.8 mm

🖼️ Image: Adaptive meshing example

⚙️ CPU Time vs Accuracy Tradeoff

• Initial blank element size: < 25 mm
• Refinement levels:
  • 3 levels = best balance
  • 2 levels = fast but less precise

For gravity stage:

• Use 500–2000 elements initially
• Don’t use adaptive meshing yet
• Start with a mesh size like 22 mm

🔧 Fixed Mesh Strategy

• Set initial size in the blank editor
• Use macros or attribute tree to define refinement levels
• For crash forming or complex blanks, refine the blank outline

🧰 Work with a Dedicated Toolbar to Set Up the Process

Since version V2015.1 a dedicated toolbar is available in standard delivery to set up the forming process, that helps to set up the data correctly and in the right order.

🚀 Simulate with Triple Speed

Enable Speed-Up

PAM-STAMP uses a new simulation method to speed up the calculation. The result of the simulation is not changed, compared to the old simulation method. Enable the speed up in the Global Object → CPU control attribute. The default value of the speed up is 100%, which corresponds to the fastest setting.

🖼️ Fig.: Enable triple speed in the CPU attribute of the global object

Real Example: Coining

Thickness 6 mm, coining depth 2 mm, form radius 2 mm. In the real world this is a simulation with large deformation. PAM-STAMP simulates this with full accuracy – just much faster. Enable the speed up – the result is unchanged.

→ Simulate with Triple Speed

Up to 70 simulations per day with a good machine (8 cores).

🖼️ Fig.: Validation and feasibility result comparison: 5 times faster, no visible difference

🧠 Use the Right Number of Cores

• Don’t go below 4 cores
• Best performance and speed-up with 8 cores

🖼️ Fig.: Recommended minimum number of cores per simulation

📈 Monitor Simulation Progress

You can:

• Watch the results of every simulation stage instantly
• Stop the simulation, if you see something went wrong
• Correct the issue and restart – all within minutes

This is a real time saver during process development.

🏗️ Simulation Setup Methodology – Overview

A stamping simulation must be prepared. First, the tools need to be created and meshed. In the second step, the process must be defined and all participating objects like tools, drawbeads and blank have to be added. Finally the settings need to be verified before the simulation is started.

These steps are valid for all single and multistage operations.

🧱 Simulation Preparation Flow

• Start from the initial CAD model of the punch, usually with run offs
• Create a new simulation project
• Check the topology of the imported tools
• Import the initial CAD tools
• Mesh the tools
• Check and clean the tool mesh
• Fillet sharp edges (if this was not done in CAD)
• Define symmetry planes
• Create all other tools by offsetting the existing one
  ⚠️ Note: A tool that is used as a base for offsetting must have a correct topology and a good mesh
• Define accessories like trimming tools, pins, springs, etc.
• Create drawbeads
• Mesh the drawbeads
• Create the blank
• Mesh the blank
• Define the process
• Run a data check
• Start the simulation
• Postprocess the results

This can be done with the standard toolbar or a user defined one (→ GUI).

🧭 Use a Workflow

PAM-STAMP has a predefined toolbar for guided simulation setup. The toolbar walks you through all necessary steps in the correct order.

🖼️ [Fig.: GUI with workflow toolbar active]

🆕 Create a New Project

The first thing to do is to define the project and the process you want to simulate. Choose the process that best fits your needs. A draw die usually includes binder and drawbeads. Choose a simulation method. Use the solver PAM-Autostamp. It gives the best results and is fast.
❌ Don’t use PAM-Quikstamp Plus. It is a fast solver with lower result quality.
✅ Use PAM-Autostamp with SSU enabled instead: it is equally fast and gives better results.

🖼️ [Fig.: Simulation settings]

🧼 Check the Topology of the CAD Tools

Check the topology of your CAD tools. A good geometry has no red lines except on the outer boundaries. Cracks in the geometry will lead to bad or failing meshing and simulation.

Use the topology check function in Visual-Mesh or Visual-CAD Clean. Cracks are shown in red. Tools to repair the cracks are available. They are easy to use and intuitive.

🖼️ [Fig.: Topology check in Visual-Mesh]

📥 Import CAD Tools and Mesh Them

Mesh the imported CAD tools. Tools must be meshed before they can be used in simulation. PAM-STAMP assumes perfect contact between blank and tools. That means the mesh must be accurate. A good mesh is only possible with good geometry.

The tool mesh represents the contact surface. This must be well shaped. Automatic mesh does not mean good mesh. Clean up the geometry and mesh it properly for best results.

🧠 All mesh details and quality tips are explained in chapter: “1 – Tool Geometry and Mesh”

🧩 Stitching Tolerance Setup

The stitching tolerance for tool import and meshing must be set. Use the same tolerance value for all tools. Define this value in:

• DeltaMESH → Custom Options
• Or during CAD import

🖼️ [Fig.: Stitching tolerance setup]

Make sure the geometry is imported with the correct unit system. It is defined in the Custom Options tab.

🌀 Fillet Sharp Edges

If your CAD model has sharp fillet radii or punch radii, and you didn’t round them in CAD, do it now. PAM-STAMP can add fillets to the mesh. This improves accuracy for contact and material flow.

📐 Define Symmetry Planes

Symmetry planes must be defined before tool offsetting. Use the Tool Editor → OP Parameters tab. Add your symmetry planes there. This ensures that offset tools are generated correctly.

🧭 Define Tool Movement Direction

Use the Process Frame object in the Tool Editor to define the movement direction of each tool.

• Define punch movement direction
• Blankholder alignment
• Motion axis for press simulation

🧱 Create Offset Tools

Offset the imported tool to create punch, die, and blankholder surfaces. Make sure symmetry planes are already set before doing this. The offset operation replicates the base geometry.

⚠️ The tool used for offset must already be clean and meshed.

🧪 Check Mesh Quality of Offset Tools

Use:

• The mesh quality icon
• One-click custom command
• Postprocessing with contour plots

To validate:

• Element angles
• Continuity
• Artificial cracks or gaps

🖼️ [Fig.: Mesh quality check example]

🧰 Define Accessories

Add accessories like:

• Trim tools
• Pins
• Springs
• Guides or spacers

Do this before defining the process. These affect simulation results and must be included.

🧵 Create Drawbeads, Blank and Define the Process

🧰 Create Drawbeads and Mesh Them

Add drawbeads to your simulation. Define their geometry in the Drawbead Editor. Make sure the mesh size is reasonable. Use 1 or 2 elements across the bead height. The length direction should be meshed finely enough.

You can create drawbeads manually or import them from die face design. I will be adding more info on this on later post. Subscribe and comment so that I can do it quickly.

🖼️ Fig.: Drawbead mesh example

📄 Create the Blank and Mesh It

Create a blank. Define material and thickness. Use the mesh wizard to define the mesh size and refinement level. A correct blank mesh is key to successful simulation. You can use adaptive mesh refinement to reduce computation time and improve results. More details I will add later.

🛠️ Define the Process

Define the stamping process using the Process Editor. Add all participating objects:

• Tools
• Blank
• Drawbeads
• Accessories (trims, guides, spacers, etc.)

🧠 The process setup defines:

• Movement of the tools
• Sequence of operations
• Contact and material flow
• Boundary conditions

Use the predefined toolbar or user-defined one to do this.

✅ Check the Data

Before running the simulation, use the Data Check tool.

• It verifies that all necessary data has been defined
• It detects missing assignments, unmeshed objects, unassigned tools, etc.
• It ensures the process is ready to be simulated

Always run a data check before launching simulation.

🖼️ Fig.: Data check icons and validation messages

🚀 Start the Simulation

After the Data Check, press the “Launch” button. This sends the setup to the solver manager. You can monitor simulation progress in the GUI.

Results appear live during simulation. You can postprocess them directly in the Results Viewer.

I think this should be enough for this post. Will update on new post.