Grundlagenwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Kaltfließpressen kleinster metallischer Pin-Strukturen aus der Blechebene

Description

The miniaturization of products while simultaneously integrating multiple functions is a current global trend aimed at saving weight, space, materials, and costs. Every year, billions of metallic microparts are produced, and the tendency is on the rise. Forming processes offer technological, economic, and ecological advantages over other manufacturing methods when it comes to mass production. However, as parts are reduced to the micro-scale, size effects emerge, which can negatively impact forming, process stability, handling, and tool wear. Multi-stage cold extrusion from the sheet plane can mitigate the effects of these size-related issues, but complex material flow also introduces challenges. Thus, the goal of this study was to establish a fundamental understanding of the process to assist engineers in optimization and support the transition to industrial applications. The investigations in this study demonstrated that multi-stage forming allows significantly more delicate pin structures to be produced from the sheet plane. Furthermore, it was shown that selecting suitable process, workpiece, and tool parameters can significantly increase material utilization. The recommended actions for process optimization and the proposed application possibilities are intended to make the process more efficient and sustainable in industrial production.