Sheet bulk metal forming

Economic manufacturing of weight- and load adapted functional components by incremental sheet bulk metal forming

The objective of the proposed research project is the economic production of functional components by incremental sheet-bulk metal forming making use of the advantages of strain-hardening. With regard to the current state of the incremental approach, the processing time has to be reduced significantly in order to achieve realistic cycle times. With the acceleration of the process, yet unknown temperature-dependent boundary conditions will have to be assumed and shall be examined in the context of this research project. Applying new strategies, the effects on the adjustable component properties shall be determined experimentally and numerically so that the associated negative aspects of a subsequent heat treatment can be avoided and the costs can be reduced. The challenge is to maximize and optimize the underlying material-dependent effect of strain-hardening for a possible industrial application. By near net shaping and an optimal utilization of the material and its hardening the negative aspects occurring during a conventional manufacture can be compensated. For the complex process with cyclic loading and unloading and mutual influence of the process parameters fundamental challenges arise to the tool load, the process parameters to be adjusted, and to the whole tribological system, which requires the use of new tool steels as well as a suitable lubrication method. The core of the investigations will be the determination and control of the arising conflict between the forming temperature as a result of the accelerated process cycle and the specifically adjusted hardening.

Project duration:

01.06.2015 - 30.11.2017

Researcher:

Mr. M.Sc. Sebastian Wernicke