Chapter 2 - Size Effects in Microforming

Abstract

Forming technology cannot be simply miniaturized due to the unique characteristics of size effects occurred in microforming. Size effects have significant impact on the forming results and the quality of formed parts, and should be carefully addressed in the forming of metals in microscale. This chapter firstly introduces the definition of size effects followed by a description of their categories. Then, problems caused by size effects in microforming processes in the aspects of mechanical behavior, tribology, and scatter of material behavior are discussed. Finally, strategies for control of size effects in microforming are presented. This chapter is helpful for understanding the nature of size effects involved in microforming, which will consequently benefit the design and processing of microforming with a purpose of manufacturing high-quality micro products.