CHAPTER 4 : SHEET METAL PROCESSES

AT THE END OF THIS SESSION, STUDENT

SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

1. Define various forming operations in sheet metal

processes such as shearing, bending and forming.
2. Identify the equipment used for sheet-metal processes
such as punch, die, slug.
3. Identify specific material properties use in sheet-metal
processes.
4. Design consideration in sheet-metal processes.
5. Analyse the economics factor of sheet-metal processes.
4.1 INTRODUCTION

• Press working or press forming - typically are

performed on presses using a set of dies.
• Low-carbon steel is the most commonly used
sheet metal because of its low cost and
generally good strength and formability
characteristics.
TOPIC TO BE COVER
• Shearing Process
•Punch Force
•Shearing Operation
•Taylor-welded Blank
•Characteristic & Type
•Miscellaneous method
• Bending Process
Sheet •Consideration in bending
•Press Brake Forming

Metal
•Tube Bending & forming
•Hemming & Scamming
•Bulging

Processes
•Segmented Dies
•Stretch Forming
•Deep Drawing
• Forming Process
•Rubber Forging & hydroforming
•Spinning
•Superplastic Forming
•Manufacturing of metal honeycomb
structure
4.2 SHEARING PROCESSES

 Before a sheet-metal part is made, a blank of

suitable dimensions first is removed from a
large sheet (usually from a coil) by shearing.
The major processing parameters in shearing
are:
 the shape of the punch and die;

 the speed of punching;

 lubrication;

 the clearance, c, between the punch and the

die.
4.2.1. PUNCH FORCE

F = 0.7TL(UTS)
 T is the sheet thickness
 L is the total length sheared [such as the
perimeter of a hole ( for circle = πd or 2πr)]
 UTS is the ultimate tensile strength of the
material.
EXAMPLE
Force calculation
• As clearance increases, the punch force decreases and the
wear on the dies and punches is also reduced

• A second force is also required to strip the punch from

the sheet during its return stroke

• Example:

– Estimate the force required to punch a 1 inch (25 mm) dia hole
through a 1/8 inch thick (3.2 mm) annealed titanium alloy Ti-6t
6A1-4V sheet at room temperature.

– Using eqn 16.1 from book. UTS (table 6.10) for this alloy is
1000 MPa or 140,000 psi.

– F = 0.7 * (3.2 × 10-3) * (π)(25 ×10-3)* (1000 × 106) = 175.93 kN

EXAMPLE
What is the force required to punch a square hole, 100 mm on each side,
in a 1-mm thick 5052-O aluminum sheet, by using flat dies? What would
be your answer if beveled dies are used?

The maximum punch force, F, is given by Eq. (16.1) on p. 428 as F =

0.7TL(UTS)

For this case L = 400 mm = 0.4 m, T = 1 mm = 0.001 m, and UTS is 190

MPa for 5052-O aluminum (see Table 6.3 on p. 171).

Therefore,
F = 0.7(0.001)(0.4)(190 × 106) = 53.2 kN

If the dies were beveled, the force would be much lower and would
approach zero using very sharp bevel angles.
4.2.2 SHEARING OPERATIONS

 Punching—where the sheared slug is scrap or

may be used for some other purpose
 Blanking—where the slug is the part to be used
and the rest is scrap.
A. DIE CUTTING

 Perforating: punching a number of holes in a

sheet
 Parting: shearing the sheet into two or more
pieces
 Notching: removing pieces (or various shapes)
from the edges
 Lancing: leaving a tab without removing any
material
B. FINE BLANKING

 Very smooth and square edges can be

produced
C. SLITTING

 A straight line, a circular path, or a curved path.

4.2.3 TAILOR-WELDED BLANKS

• Involves laser-beam butt welding of two or more

pieces of sheet metal with different shapes and
thicknesses.
• Proper alignment of the sheets prior to welding is
important.
• The result of this technique is
– reduction in scrap;
– elimination of the need for subsequent spot welding
– better control of dimensions;
– improved productivity.
4.2.4 CHARACTERISTICS AND TYPE OF
SHEARING DIES
1. Clearance
• depends on:
– the type of material and its temper;
– the thickness and size of the blank;
– Its proximity to the edges of other sheared edges or the
edges of the original blank.
• (a) clearances for soft materials are less
• (b) the thicker the sheet, the larger the clearance
• (c) as the ratio of hole diameter to sheet thickness
decreases, clearances should be larger.
2. Punch and Die

 Both the surfaces of the punch and of the

die are flat.
 Because the entire thickness is sheared at
the same time, the punch force increases
rapidly during shearing.
 The location of the regions being sheared at
any particular instant can be controlled by
beveling the punch and die surfaces.
3.Compound dies
 Several operations on the same sheet may
be performed in one stroke at one station
with a compound die.
 Limited to relatively simple shapes, because

(a) the process is somewhat slow

(b) the dies rapidly become much more
expensive to produce than those for
individual shearing operations, especially
for complex dies.
 4. Progressive dies
• Parts requiring multiple operations to
produce can be made at high production
rates in progressive dies.

5. Transfer dies
• the sheet metal undergoes different
operations at different stations of the
machine which are arranged along a
straight line or a circular path

6. Tool and die materials

PROGRESSIVE DIES
 Stamping Press

 Figure 20.32 Components of a typical mechanical drive stamping press

TYPES OF STAMPING PRESS FRAME
 Gap frame
 Configuration of the
letter C and often
referred to as a
C-frame

 Straight-sided
frame
 Box-like construction
for higher tonnage
Figure 20.33 Gap frame
press for sheet metalworking
(Photo courtesy of E. W. Bliss
Co.); capacity = 1350 kN
(150 tons)
Figure 20.34 Press
brake (photo courtesy of
Niagara Machine & Tool
Works); bed width = 9.15
m (30 ft) and capacity =
11,200 kN (1250 tons).
Figure 20.35 Sheet metal parts produced on a turret press, showing
variety of hole shapes possible (photo courtesy of Strippet Inc.).
Figure 20.36 Computer numerical control turret press (photo
courtesy of Strippet, Inc.).
4.3 SHEET METAL BENDING
TYPES OF SHEET METAL BENDING

 V-bending - performed with a V-shaped die

 Edge bending - performed with a wiping die

A simple bending machine (press brake)

4.3.1 CONSIDERATIONS IN BENDING
a. Springback

• Differ in finite modulus of elasticity, plastic

deformation always is followed by some
elastic recovery when the load is removed.
4.3.2 PRESS BRAKE FORMING

• Sheets or narrow strips that are 7 m or even

longer usually are bent in a press brake.
• The process can be automated easily for low-
cost, high-production runs.
• Die materials for press brakes may range from
hardwood (for low-strength materials and small-
production runs) to carbides for strong and
abrasive sheet materials and also are chosen
to improve die life.
a.Beading ( manik )
 In beading, the periphery of the sheet metal
is bent into the cavity of a die.
 The bead imparts stiffness to the part by
increasing the moment of inertia of that
section.
 Also, beads improve the appearance of the
part and eliminate exposed sharp edges that
can be hazardous.
The edge of the sheet is bent into
Key word the cavity of die
b. Flanging ( bebibir )
• Bending the edges of sheet metals, usually to
90°.
• Shrink flanging, the flange is subjected to
compressive hoop stresses which, if excessive,
can cause the flange periphery to wrinkle.
• The wrinkling tendency increases with
decreasing radius of curvature of the flange.
• In stretch flanging, the flange periphery is
subjected to tensile stresses that, if excessive,
can lead to cracking along the periphery.
 Flanges on flat sheet dimpling

piercing flanging
4.3.3 TUBE BENDING AND FORMING

• Bending and forming tubes and other hollow

sections requires special tooling because of the
tendency for buckling and folding

• Forming tubes and tubular shapes such as

exhaust pipes, fuel filler tubes, and exhaust
manifolds also can be done using internal fluid
pressure with the ends of the tubes sealed by
mechanical means
4.3.4 DIMPLING, PIERCING AND FLARING
• In dimpling, a hole first is punched and then
expanded into a flange.
• Flanges also may be produced by piercing with a
shaped punch.
• As the ratio of flange diameter to hole diameter
increases, the strains increase proportionately.
• Depending on the roughness of the edge, there
will be a tendency for cracking along the outer
periphery of the flange.
• To reduce this possibility, sheared or punched
edges may be shaved off with a sharp tool to
improve the surface finish of the edge.
• Flaring- bend angle is less than 90°
4.3.5 HEMMING AND SEAMING

 In the hemming process (also called flattening),

the edge of the sheet is folded over itself.
 Hemming increases the stiffness of the part,
improves its appearance, and eliminates sharp
edges.
 Seaming – joining two edges of sheet metal by
hemming
4.3.6 BULGING

• A tubular, conical, or curvilinear part into a split-

female die and then expanding it (plug)
• The punch then is retracted, the plug returns to its
original shape (by total elastic recovery), and the
formed part is removed by opening the split dies.
• The major advantages of using polyurethane plugs
is that they are very resistant to abrasion, wear,
and lubricants; furthermore, they do no damage
on the surface finish of the part being formed.
4.3.7 SEGMENTED DIES

• These dies consist of individual segments that

are placed inside the part to be formed and
expanded mechanically in a generally radial
direction.
• They then are retracted to remove the formed
part.
• Segmented dies are relatively inexpensive, and
they can be used for large production runs.
4.3.8 STRETCH FORMING

• In stretch forming, the sheet metal is clamped

along its edges and then stretched over a male
die
• In most operations, the blank is a rectangular
sheet clamped along its narrower edges and
stretched lengthwise, thus allowing the
material to shrink in width.
• Most applications require little or no
lubrication.
4.3.9 DEEP DRAWING

• Numerous parts made of sheet metal are

cylindrical or box shaped, such as pots and pans,
all types of containers for food and beverages,
stainless-steel kitchen sinks, canisters, and
automotive fuel tanks.
• The process generally is called deep drawing
because of its capability for producing deep parts.
• It also used to make parts that are shallow or have
moderate depth.
DRAWING
 Sheet metal forming to make
cup-shaped, box-shaped, or other
complex-curved, hollow-shaped
parts
 Sheet metal blank is positioned
over die cavity and then punch
pushes metal into opening
 Products: beverage cans,
ammunition shells, automobile
body panels
 Also known as deep drawing (to
distinguish it from wire and bar
drawing)
SHAPES OTHER THAN CYLINDRICAL CUPS
 Square or rectangular
boxes (as in sinks),
 Stepped cups
 Cones
 Cups with spherical
rather than flat bases
 Irregular curved forms
(as in automobile body
panels)
 Each of these shapes
presents its own unique
technical problems in
drawing
4.4 SHEET METAL FORMING

• In stamping, drawing, or pressing, a sheet is clamped

around the edge and formed into a cavity by a punch.
• The metal is stretched by membrane forces so that it
conforms to the shape of the tools.
• The membrane stresses in the sheet far exceed the
contact stresses between the tools and the sheet, and
the through-thickness stresses may be neglected except
at small tool radius.
• The edge or flange is not usually held rigidly, but is
allowed to move inward in a controlled fashion.
• The tension must be sufficient to prevent wrinkling, but
not enough to cause splitting
4.4.1 RUBBER FORMING & HYDROFORMING

 Rubber forming is a process of bending and

embossing of sheet metal using rubber pad
(Polyurethanes) as a replacement die (as
female die).
 Polyurethanes are used widely because of
their:-
-Resistance to cutting or tearing by burrs or
other sharp edges on the sheet metal.
- Long fatigue life.
- Resistance to abrasion.
 In the hydroform or fluid-forming process, the
pressure over the rubber membrane is
controlled throughout the forming cycle with a
maximum pressure of up to 100 MPa.

 Note that in contrast to the ordinary deep

drawing process, the pressure in the dome
forces the cup walls against the punch. The
cup travels with the punch; in this way, deep
drawability is improved.
59
Advantages of rubber-forming and
hydroforming processes :
(a) the capability to form complex shapes;
(b) forming parts with laminated sheets of
various materials and coatings;
(c) flexibility and ease of operation;
(d) the avoidance of damage to the surfaces of
the sheet;
(e) low die wear;
(f) low tooling cost.
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4.4.2 SPINNING

a.Conventional spinning
b.Shear spinning
c. Tube spinning
 Conventional Spinning

 Figure 20.42 Conventional spinning: (1) setup at start of process;

(2) during spinning; and (3) completion of process.

65
 SHEAR SPINNING

 Figure 20.43 Shear spinning: (1) setup at start of process;

(2) completion of process.

66
 TUBE SPINNING

 Figure 20.43 Shear spinning (Reducing the wall thickness and

increasing the length of the tube):
 (a) external; (b) internal; (c) profiling.

67
4.4.3 SUPERPLASTIC FORMING

 Superplastic alloys can be formed into complex

shapes by superplastic forming—a process that
employs common metalworking techniques—as
well as by polymer-processing techniques (such
as thermoforming, vacuum forming, and blow
molding.
The very high ductility and relatively low strength of
superplastic alloys offer the following advantages:

 Complex shapes can be formed out of one piece, with

fine detail, close tolerances, and elimination of
secondary operations.
 Weight and material savings can be realized because of
the good formability of the materials.
 Little or no residual stresses develop in the formed
parts.
 Because of the low strength of the material at forming
temperatures, the tooling can be made of materials that
have lower strength than those in other metalworking
processes, hence tooling costs are lower.
1.Diffusion bonding / superplastic forming
4.4.4 MANUFACTURING OF METAL HONEYCOMB
STRUCTURES
 MANUFACTURING OF METAL HONEYCOMB
STRUCTURE
 A honeycomb structure consists basically of a core of
honeycomb or other corrugated shapes bonded to two
thin outer skins.

 Because of their light weight and high resistance to

bending forces, metal honeycomb structures are used
for aircraft and aerospace components, in buildings,
and in transportation equipment.

72
 In the expansion process, which is the more common
method, sheets first are cut from a coil, and an
adhesive is applied at intervals (node lines) on their
surfaces.

 The corrugation process is similar to the process used

in making corrugated cardboard.

 The sheet metal first passes through a pair of

specially designed rolls, becoming a corrugated sheet;
it is then cut into desired lengths.

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THE END