Advanced finite element analysis of die wear in sheet-bulk metal forming processes

The novel sheet-bulk metal forming (SBMF) technology allows the production of solid metal components with various functional design features out of flat sheet specimens. However, due to the high working pressures arising during the forming process the efficiency of SBMF is tightly related to the tool service life, which is mainly limited by die wear. In the forming processes involving high contact pressures (e.g. SBMF) the influence of contact normal stresses on the die wear can be overestimated. In order to provide a realistic estimation of the die wear, the shear friction stress must be considered. The presented paper introduces a die wear model that intends the tangential component of contact stress and its implementation in the commercial FE code.