The Effects of Tool Wear on the Accuracy of Complex Geometry in Sheet Blanking

Abstract

The effects of tool wear on the accuracy of complex geometry in thin-sheet blanking are examined. Two illustrative examples are given. The first example considers the effect of tool wear when using a cutting die with a 5% clearance value. The second example considers the effect of tool wear when using a cutting die with a 3% clearance value. The volume loss and the improvement in punch-tip rounding of parts with complex geometries and sharp corners in thin steel sheets are obtained and compared. It is shown that punch wear changes according to the surface roughness of the cut piece and the burr height on sharp corners, radii, and flat surfaces. A strategy for calculating tool wear is also proposed. It was found that a die clearance of 5% provides much better results than a 3% clearance for soft sheets with a thickness of 0.50 mm in terms of minimizing tool wear and maximizing the clearance value.