A New Clinching Process Especially for Thin Metal Sheets and Foils

Abstract:

A novel clinching process design to join thin metal sheets and foils is proposed. In this process a small cup is first stretched out of the sheet plane. A shape interlock between the two sheets is then created by a movement of the die and blank holder in the sheet plane lateral to the cup wall. Such an approach makes the undesired upsetting of the cup bottom redundant, which promises less energy consumption and a longer tool life when compared to conventional clinching processes. The process principle and its finite element analysis for austenitic steel sheets as well as deep-drawing steel sheets (both 0.3 mm thick) are presented. The numerical results suggest feasibility of the proposed design to produce a good shape interlock between two thin sheets.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 504-506)
• Pages: 783-788
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.504-506.783
• Online since: February 2012
• Authors: Bernd-Arno Behrens, Anas Bouguecha, Claus Peter Eckold, Ilya Peshekhodov
• Keywords: Clinching, Finite Element Method (FEM), Foil, Sheet Metal

References

[1] DVS – Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren e. V. / EFB – Europäische Forschungsgesellschaft für Blechverarbeitung e. V.: Merkblatt DVS/EFB 3420-1: Clinchen – Grundlagen / Clinching – basics, unpublished edition (2011), Düsseldorf.

[2] E. Doege, B.-A. Behrens, Handbuch Umformtechnik, second ed., Springer, 2010.

[3] S. Hübner, Clinchen moderner Blechwerkstoffe, PhD thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, PZH Verlag, (2005)

[4] R. Beyer, D. Schröder, Dünne Aluminiumbleche sicher druckfügen, Bänder Bleche Rohre 9 (1991) 54-62.

[5] Tox Pressotechnik GmbH & Co. KG, TOX®-MICROpoint, Data Sheet 80.81 2010/09 TB 80.81_201009.en, Information on www.tox-de.com.

[6] S. Reich, Angepasste Clinchtechnik zum Fügen von kleinen Bauteilen, MM Maschinenmarkt 29 (2010) 38-39.