With this post we start going through the lab’s equipment one machine at a time. First up is the plastic deformation process simulator.
What it measures
During forming, the sheet rubs against the tool while it deforms. The simulator reproduces that contact in the lab: it pulls a sheet specimen over a pin and measures the forces on both arms of the machine. The friction coefficient is calculated from those forces.
Pin angle, temperature and diameter can be adjusted, and it works with almost any material, including high-strength steels.
Features
- Stretching of specimens of any material.
- Tests on high-strength steels.
- Friction coefficient calculation.
- Adjustable pin angle, temperature and diameter.
- Displacement and force sensors on both arms.
Applications
Knowing the real friction during forming makes it possible to tune process parameters and tool design. The data are useful in sectors such as aerospace, railways, public transport, cranes and lifting equipment, tube manufacturing and agricultural machinery.
Among other work, this machine was used for the DP600 steel friction tests published in 2021.
The next post will cover the pin-on-disk tribometer.