Abstract: The rotary forging process of a disc is simulated by 3-D finite element method.The motion of the rotary the is described as the combination of a revolution round the machine axis and a spin round the rotary die axis. Therefore, the workpiece can be loaded and unloaded partly and cyclically by the cone surface of the rotary the continuously, according with the practical rotary forging process. From the siumulation rasults, the causes of center-thinning during rotary forging of discs are that the locally loading of rotary die made the workpiece center get high radial and tangential tensile stresses, and then the shortening in axial direction and the elongating in tangential and radial direction occur continuous- ly.

Key words: finite element simulation, rotary forging, disc, center-thinning