Analysis of the tribological behaviour of polymer composite tool materials for sheet metal forming

• Published in: Wear Vol. 268; no. 1; pp. 241 - 248
• Main Authors: de Souza, J.H.C., Liewald, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 04.01.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forming; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Friction; Friction, wear, lubrication; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Inelasticity (thermoplasticity, viscoplasticity...); Machine components; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Metals. Metallurgy; Physics; Polymer composites; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Press forming of metal foils and wires; Production techniques; Rapid tooling; Sheet metal forming; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Technology of polymers; Wear; Polymer composites; Sheet metal forming; Friction; Wear; Rapid tooling; Drawing; Die forging; Tool material; Fibre reinforced metal; Metal polymer contact; Deep drawing; Modeling; Composite material; Sheet metal; Tool wear; Die; Wear test; Filled polymers; Durability; Forming; Metal metal contact; Experimental study; Lifetime; Abrasive wear; Automobile industry; Tribology
• ISSN: 0043-1648; 1873-2577
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2009.07.017

Today's automotive industry shifts its focus on customised production, facing an increasing demand for medium and small batch production, where cost-effective manufacturability of sheet metal forming dies comes into the foreground. Filled polymers offer possibilities to fulfil such requirements in the ambit of prototype tools manufacturing or in small batch production of sheet metal components. This paper presents investigations dealing with tribological and tool design aspects of using polymeric materials for sheet metal forming purposes. Friction and wear behaviour of two polymer composites on sheet metal counterface materials have been investigated. A new testing method for wear evaluation of polymeric materials for sheet metal forming using a Strip Drawing Test facility is presented and discussed. A method to predict lifetime of polymeric stamping dies using the linear wear–distance relation W l/s measured with the new testing method is also proposed. Significant improvements in friction and wear performance of polymer composites have been observed using sheet materials with structured surfaces. A theoretical model for abrasive friction and wear of polymer composites on sheet metal counterface material pairs has been developed, based on the results obtained by measurement of friction and wear.