Influence of Surface Textures During Metal Forming

Friction plays an important role in metal forming processes. In the present investigation, various kinds of surface texture with varying roughness were produced on steel plates. Pins made of Al-8Mg alloy were then slid against the prepared steel plates using inclined pin-on-plate sliding tester to understand the role of surface texture of the harder surface and load on coefficient of friction and transfer layer formation under both dry and lubricated conditions. It was observed that both the coefficient of friction and transfer layer formation are highly dependent on the surface texture of harder counterface. Numerical analysis of simulated compression test, assigning different magnitude of coefficient of friction at different regions between the die and work piece, was carried out to understand the effect of friction on deformation and stress distribution. Results of simulation revealed that, owing to the difference in coefficient of friction, there is a difference in metal flow pattern. Both experimental and numerical results confirmed that the surface texture of the die surface and thus coefficient of friction directly affects the strain rate and flow pattern of the work-piece.