The application of numerical modelling and simulation in manufacturing technologies is looking back for about a twenty-thirty years history. In recent years, the role of modelling and simulation in engineering and in manufacturing industry has been continuously increasing. This is well known that during manufacturing processes simultaneous effect of many different parameters can be observed. This is the reason that in former years, detailed analysis of manufacturing processes could have been done only by time-consuming and expensive trial and error methods. Due to the recent developments both in the methods of modelling and simulation, as well as in the computational facilities, modelling and simulation has become an everyday tool in engineering practice. Beside the aforementioned facts, the emerging role of modelling and simulation can also be explained by the growing globalisation and competition on the world market requiring shorter lead times and more cost effective solutions. The purpose of this paper is to overlook the present situation of numerical modelling and simulation in sheet metal forming mainly from the viewpoint of scientific research and industrial applications.