Papers by Keyword: Sheet-Bulk-Metal Forming

Abstract: Sheet-bulk metal forming is a novel manufacturing technology, which unites the advantages and design solutions of sheet metal and bulk metal forming. To challenge the high forming force the process is superimposed with an oscillation in the main flow of the process. The paper focuses on the characterization of the material behavior under cyclic load and the effects for the sheet bulk metal forming process.

Abstract: Innovative trends like increasing component functionality, the demand for automotive lightweight constructions and the economic issue to optimize existing process chains, require new ways in manufacturing. Today, the traditional sheet metal and bulk metal forming processes are often reaching their limits if closely-tolerated complex functional components with variants have to be produced. A promising approach is the direct forming of high-precision shapes starting from blanks. Thus, classic sheet metal forming operations, such as deep drawing, are combined with bulk metal forming operations like extrusion of complex variants as for example teeth. This combination of sheet and bulk metal forming operations leads to a side by side situation of different tribological conditions according to the locally varying load situations within the same forming process. This new class of forming processes is defined as sheet-bulk metal forming (SBMF). The tribological conditions in sheet-bulk metal forming processes are of major importance for the process realization, its stability and for the quality of the produced part. The objective of this paper is the investigation of material flow in SBMF in general and the attempt to improve the material flow by local adapted tribological conditions. First the material flow was analyzed by FE-simulation of a model geometry that is typical for SBMF. The investigations with FE-simulation have shown, locally adapted tribological conditions are leading to an improvement in material flow and thus to an increased mould filling. As frictional conditions are directly connected to the topography of workpiece and tool, the modification of the workpiece topography is leading to an alteration in friction values. For the modification of workpiece topography grit blasting was used. The increase in friction of grit blasted surface towards untreated surface was investigates by using the laboratory friction tests. To manufacture specimens with locally adapted topographies for forming tests a masking technique has been developed. The masks are designed after the preliminary findings determined by FE-simulation.

Abstract: The present contribution deals with the process-machine interaction and its impacts on the workpiece quality by forming parts with sheet-bulk metal forming. It focuses on the manufacturing of complex asymmetrical parts with functional elements. The functional applications of these elements such as fixation, motion and load transmission require compliance with high geometrical accuracy as well as high precision regarding the final mechanical properties of the part. The high process forces in horizontal as well as in vertical direction to form these elements cause displacements of the tool and press components, which lead to workpiece defects retroactively. Although the interaction between the forming machine and process affects the quality of the finished part significantly, the machine influence is usually ignored in the analysis of the forming process with the Finite-Element-Method. The challenges mentioned are demonstrated by forming of a complex asymmetrical part with gear teeths and carrier elements. As typical for sheet-bulk metal forming, the dimensions of the finished gear teeths (4mm) are much higher as the initial thickness of the sheet metal (3mm). The displacements of the press components during the process have been determined by means of optical measuring systems. The results are presented in all three spatial directions. The conclusions about the acting process forces in horizontal and vertical direction have been made by analyzing the press displacements by means of a new developed three-axial load device. Finally, this paper introduces a suitable approach to represent the machine characteristics in order to improve the computational accuracy of sheet-bulk metal forming simulations and gives an overview about the possibilities to improve the process stability by improving the mechanical components of forming machines.

Abstract: Forming processes are characterized by high cost-effectiveness due to high material utilization and short forming process time. Therefore the development of new forming processes aims for overcoming the current process limitations to produce function extended components with a wider range of application and lower manufacturing costs. The comprehensive and complex development investigations of cause-effect relationships and interdependencies lead to an intransparent development status, whose assessment is often based on undefined and not reproducible criteria. This can result in wrong decisions with vain modifications that require subsequent changes associated with an increased effort. A valid characterization of the development status of new forming processes by maturity determination in early development phases can detect improvement potentials in order to apply effective measures with reduced efforts. Maturity models provide essential indicators and assign their values to maturity levels, whereby a uniform assessment base is created and comparability of the determined maturity values is ensured. On the basis of a combined reference model maturity-related indicators for assessing the development status of new forming processes are defined. The designed maturity model has been applied in the development of the Sheet-Bulk Metal Forming.

Abstract: Sheet-bulk metal forming is a process used to manufacture load-adapted parts with high precision. However, bulk forming of sheet metals requires high forces, and thus tools applied for the operational demand have to withstand very high contact pressures, which lead to high wear and abrasion. The usage of conventional techniques like hardening and coating in order to reinforce the surface resistance are not sufficient enough in this case. In this paper, the tool resistance is improved by applying filigree bionic structures, especially structures adapted from the Scarabaeus beetle to the tool’s surface. The structures are realized by micromilling. Despite the high hardness of the tool material, very precise patterns are machined successfully using commercially available ball-end milling cutters. The nature-adapted surface patterns are combined with techniques like plasma nitriding and PVD coating, leading to a multilayer coating system. The effect of process parameters on the resistance of the tools is analyzed experimentally and compared to a conventional, unstructured, uncoated, only plasma nitrided forming tool. Therefore, the tools are used for an incremental bulk forming process on 2 mm thick metal sheets made of aluminum. The results show that the developed methodology is feasible to reduce the process forces and to improve the durability of the tools.

Abstract: In sheet bulk metal forming, locally adapted friction properties of the contact tool/workpiece are an appropriate means for the targeted enhancement of the material flow, enabling an improved form filling and lowered forming forces. However, the implementation of desirable friction conditions is not trivial. And further, friction is inseparably linked to wear and damage of the contacting surfaces. This calls for a methodological approach in order to consider tribology as a whole already in the early phases of process layout, so that tribological measures which allow fulfilling the requirements concerning local friction and wear properties of the tool surfaces, can already be selected during the conceptual design of the forming tools. Thin tribological coatings are an effective way of improving the friction and wear properties of functional surfaces. Metal-modified amorphous carbon coatings, which are still rather new to the field of metal forming, allow tackling friction and wear simultaneously. Unlike many other types of amorphous carbon, they have the mechanical toughness to be used in sheet bulk metal forming, and at the same time their friction properties can be varied over wide ranges by proper choice of the deposition parameters. Based on concrete research results, the mechanical, structural and special tribological properties of tungsten-modified hydrogenated amorphous carbon coatings (a-C:H:W) are presented and discussed against the background of the tribological requirements of a typical sheet bulk metal forming process.

Abstract: Sheet bulk metal forming is a new forming technology, currently developed by several companies and research institutes. It creates high demands on the inspection of parts and tools, especially in the field of in-situ abrasion detection of the forming tool and its impacts on the work piece. This manuscript introduces two optical testing methods for fulfilling these inspection tasks: On the one hand the endoscopic fringe projection as a flexible small scale optical measurement principal with high depth of focus and accuracy for the acquisition of filigree form elements for a continuous abrasion determination and one the other hand the multi-scaled fringe projection for a holistic one shot measurement of the work piece for an adapted, multiscale deviation analysis. The development and advantages of both systems for the sheet bulk metal forming process are shown as well as potentials of the combination of the both systems close to the proposed application next to the production line.

Abstract: Combining the loading conditions of two different classes of forming operations, in sheet bulk metal forming processes, contact pressures ranging from a few hundred MPa up to loads exceeding 2,500 MPa are experienced. With the additional need for an enhanced control of the material flow, which is best implemented by locally adapted frictional properties of the contact tool/workpiece, sheet bulk metal forming represents a challenge to tribology. As a consequence, the evaluation of the friction and wear properties of different surface modifications and lubricants within a variety of loading conditions is required. The load-scanning test is a universal tribological model test. Its most distinctive feature is the ability to assess the friction and wear behaviour of a tribological pairing within a whole range of contact loads in a single test run. The simple and quick test method also allows the investigation of plastic contacts. Due to these features, the load-scanning test is of particular interest with regard to the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the application potentials and limits of use of tribological measures intended for sheet bulk metal forming. Like any model test, the load-scanning test has also specific drawbacks. In some test setups, the stress distribution in the contact area may be non-uniform. Further, the maximum realizable contact pressure may be limited by low yield strengths of the tested materials in combination with the insufficient flow restriction of the contact geometry and/or the moderate machine force. By comparison to other test methods and by giving examples of its application in different scenarios, the present paper discusses the potentials and limitations of the load-scanning test against the background of sheet bulk metal forming.

Abstract: Manufacturing of functional sheet metal products by forming can be realised with the application of conventional bulk forming operations on sheet metals. The challenges of those sheet bulk metal forming processes are high resulting forming forces and the demand on a specific control of material flow. To meet these challenges well-directed thinning of blanks as well as accumulations of material to form functional elements is employed. Due to local loads, simultaneous 2D and 3D stress and strain states occur. Process adapted semi-finished products, containing a defined sheet thickness characteristic, are formed in the presented work by the technologies upsetting and orbital forming. Orbital forming is an incremental bulk forming operation to decrease the forming zone extension and consequently the required process force. Afterwards a process combination of deep drawing and upsetting in order to manufacture a cup-shaped workpiece with external gearing is presented. The results of this integrated single-stage forming process are discussed and subsequently the potential to enhance the process limits is shown by using process adapted semi-finished products.

Abstract: Sheet-bulk-metal forming processes require an accurate material model which is derived in this contribution. The microscopic model is based on a simulation of a real microstructure. A validation on the macroscopical scale is performed through the reproduction of the experimentally calculated yield surface based on the homogenised structural response of a corresponding deformed representative volume element (RVE). The microstructural material model is also compared with a macroscopical phenomenological model based on logarithmic strains. The homogenised microscopic model and the phenomenological macroscopic model are in good agreement with the evolution of the stresses and strains obtained during the experiments.