Experimental Evaluation of Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized Palm Olein and Palm Stearin in Cold Extrusion of Aluminum A1050

Abstract

The performance of palm oil as a lubricant in a cold metal forming process was tested and evaluated by carrying out plane strain extrusion experiments and experimental analyses using a visioplasticity method. In the present research, two types of refined palm oil, refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palm olein and RBD palm stearin, were tested as lubricants. The workpiece material was aluminum JIS-A1050. The experiments were carried out at room temperature (22°C). Paraffinic mineral oils with varying degrees of viscosity were tested for comparison. The experiment used an extrusion apparatus in which the taper dies were facing together, with zero frictional constraint at the contact plane (corresponding to the plane plate tool) conducted, and results were compared with those extruded with lubricants. Extrusion load and surface roughness of the billets were measured and compared. The distribution of the material flow velocity and effective strain in the exit zone of the billets were calculated using the visioplasticity method, and these data were also compared. The results confirmed that RBD palm olein and palm stearin provide sufficient lubrication performance in the cold work metal forming process.