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Wrinkling Behaviour of Engineering Fabrics in Diaphragm-Assisted Deep Drawing

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Abstract:

Wrinkling during diaphragm forming of engineering fabrics compromises structural integrity and surface quality. This study investigates two strategies—diaphragm pre-tensioning and fabric inter-ply lubrication—to mitigate wrinkle formation. A pre-tensioning (PT) blank holder was designed and evaluated through deep-draw experiments supported by finite element analysis (FEA). Results show that pre-tensioning (50% strain) significantly reduces wrinkle severity compared to a conventional blank holder. The PT blank-holder creates initial equi-biaxial strain consistent with analytical and FEA predictions. Resin inter-ply lubrication also decreased wrinkling and reduced forming force by approximately 70%, primarily by lowering inter-ply friction. However, pre-tensioning proved more effective overall. These findings demonstrate the potential of diaphragm pre-tensioning for improving forming quality and provide a foundation for advanced multi-step thermoforming processes.

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Periodical:

Solid State Phenomena (Volume 387)

Pages:

43-51

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-mkOd5g

Citation:

Cite this paper

Online since:

April 2026

Authors:

Ali Tabatabaeian*, Conor Blair, Kaspar Ambuehl, Philip Harrison

Keywords:

Deep Draw, Diaphragm Forming, Engineering Fabrics, Lubrication, Wrinkling

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Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

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* - Corresponding Author

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