Deep Drawing - Process

Process

The total drawing load consists of the ideal forming load and an additional component to compensate for friction in the contacting areas of the flange region and bending forces as well as unbending forces at the die radius. The forming load is transferred from the punch radius through the drawn part wall into the deformation region (sheet metal flange). In the drawn part wall, which is in contact with the punch, the hoop strain is zero whereby the plane strain condition is reached. In reality, mostly the strain condition is only approximately plane. Due to tensile forces acting in the part wall, wall thinning is prominent and results in an uneven part wall thickness. It can be observed that the part wall thickness is lowest at the point where the part wall loses contact with the punch, i.e., at the punch radius. The thinnest part thickness determines the maximum stress that can be transferred to the deformation zone. Due to material volume constancy, the flange thickens and results in blank holder contact at the outer boundary rather than on the entire surface. The maximum stress that can be safely transferred from the punch to the blank sets a limit on the maximum blank size (initial blank diameter in the case of rotationally symmetrical blanks). An indicator of material formability is the limiting drawing ratio (LDR), defined as the ratio of the maximum blank diameter that can be safely drawn into a cup without flange to the punch diameter. Determination of the LDR for complex components is difficult and hence the part is inspected for critical areas for which an approximation is possible. During severe deep drawing the material work hardens and it may be necessary to anneal the parts in controlled atmosphere ovens to restore the original elasticity of the material.

Commercial applications of this metal shaping process often involve complex geometries with straight sides and radii. In such a case, the term stamping is used in order to distinguish between the deep drawing (radial tension-tangential compression) and stretch-and-bend (along the straight sides) components. Deep drawing is always accompanied by other forming techniques within the press. These other forming methods include:

• Beading: Material is displaced to create a larger, or smaller, diameter ring of material beyond the original body diameter of a part, often used to create O-ring seats.
• Bottom Piercing: A round or shaped portion of metal is cut from the drawn part.
• Bulging: In the bulging process a portion of the part's diameter is forced to protrude from the surrounding geometry.
• Coining: Material is displaced to form specific shapes in the part. Typically coining should not exceed a depth of 30% of the material thickness.
• Curling: Metal is rolled under a curling die to create a rolled edge.
• Extruding: After a pilot hole is pierced, a larger diameter punch is pushed through, causing the metal to expand and grow in length.
• Ironing / Wall Thinning: Ironing is a process to reduce the wall thickness of parts. Typically ironing should not exceed a depth of 30% of the material thickness.
• Necking: A portion of the part is reduced in diameter to less than the major diameter.
• Notching: A notch is cut into the open end of the part. This notch can be round, square, or shaped.
• Rib Forming: Rib forming involves creating an inward or outward protruding rib during the drawing process.
• Side Piercing: Holes are pierced in the side wall of the drawn part. The holes may be round or shaped according to specifications.
• Stamping / Marking: This process is typically used to put identification on a part, such as a part number or supplier identification.
• Threading: Using a wheel and arbor, threads are formed into a part. In this way threaded parts can be produced within the stamping press.
• Trimming: In the Trimming process, excess metal that is necessary to draw the part is cut away from the finished part.

Often components are partially deep draw in order to create a series of diameters throughout the component (as in the image of the deep draw line). It common use to consider this process as a cost saving alternative to turned parts which require much more raw material.

The sequence of deep drawn components is referred to as a "deep draw line". The numbers of components that form the deep draw line is given by the quantity of "stations" available in the press. In the case of mechanical presses this is determined by the number of cams on the top shaft.

For high precision mass productions, it is always advisable to use a transfer press also known as eyelet press. The advantage of this type of press, in respect to conventional progressive presses, is that the parts is transferred from one die to the next by means of so called "fingers". Not only do the fingers transfer the parts but they also guide the component during the process. This allows parts to be drawn to the deepest depths with the tightest tolerances.