Experimental investigation of tool-sided surface modifications for dry deep drawing processes at the tool radii area

Abstract

Abstract In conventional deep drawing processes lubricants are applied to reduce friction and wear. Demands for increased sustainability, environmental protection and resource efficiency motivate the realization of lubricant-free forming processes. The direct tool-workpiece contact during dry deep drawing leads to changed tribological conditions. Especially in the areas of increased normal and shear stresses, such as the die radius, the dry contact causes an increased risk of wear and damage to the sheet surface. A well-known approach to face the challenges of dry deep drawing of steel sheets and aluminum alloys is the application of amorphous carbon based coatings on the tool surfaces. Within this study the tribological behavior of conventional and modified tool surfaces at the critical radii area is investigated with a strip bending rotation test. In this test, the friction coefficient is determined based on the relative movement between a rotating test cylinder and a sheet-metal strip bent in a die. For the tribological tests the sheet materials AA6014, AA5182 and zinc coated DC04 are applied. The modification of the tool sided surface was achieved by applying ta-C and a-C:H coatings to the test cylinder. In addition to tests with coated surfaces, tests with uncoated tools are carried out for reference. By analyzing the resulting friction coefficients for the different sheet materials, the suitability of ta-C and a-C:H coatings for dry deep drawing processes is evaluated comparatively. In order to investigate cause-effect relations as well as wear mechanisms, the tool and workpiece surfaces are characterized before and after testing.