Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 64(2018)4, p. 225-232 © 2018 Journal of Mechanical Engineering. All rights reserved. D0l:10.5545/sv-jme.2017.5103 Original Scientific Paper Received for review: 2017-11-21 Received revised form: 2018-02-01 Accepted for publication: 2018-03-06 Accuracy of Model Force Prediction in Closed Die Coining Process Zdenka Keran1* - Zivko Kondic2 - Petar Piljek1 - Biserka Runje1 1 University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Croatia 2 University North, Croatia In micro-forming processes, such as coining, the microstructure of the material and dimension scale of the coined geometry can have a substantial influence on the mechanism of material deformation. The influence of the grain size on the coining force and closed die filling is investigated experimentally, and a mathematical model for result prediction has been created according to the obtained experimental results. The material of the billet is 99.5 % aluminium, and the die geometry is relatively complex. The presented mathematical model takes into account the influence of size effect on the material flow curve through die cavity geometry and estimates the final coining force and corresponding associated displacement of the tool. This enables a controlled influence of the grain size of the specimen material on forming force and tool displacement in the coining process and a reliable prediction of the final coining force and related tool displacement associated with a completely filled die cavity. To determine the accuracy of model force prediction, the experimental and modelled data were statistically analysed and graphically presented. Keywords: micro-forming, coining, mathematical modelling, forging force Highlights • This paper presents research of the influence of the grain size of the specimen material on the coining force and closed die filling. • The influence has been investigated experimentally, and a mathematical model for result prediction has been created. • The mathematical model takes into account the influence of size effect on the material flow curve. • The experimental and modelled data were statistically analysed and graphically presented. 0 INTRODUCTION By using closed shallow die forging (coining), it is possible to obtain complex geometry products with fine surface details of very small dimensions. According to [1] to [4], this process enters the micro-forming field. The micro-forming processes are specific. They deviate from the macro deformation processes assumed on the basis of the similarity theory because they are subjected to the so-called "size effects". The basis of the coining process was initially published by Bocharov et al. [5]. However, the analysis and models of the coining process, observed from the current state of the art, are more appropriate to the analysis of the classic forging processes. One scientific paper [6] deals with deformation of the surface layer and its asperities. These works completely exclude total deformation of the material and observe the effect of surface roughness on the friction coefficient in processes that involve high levels of contact pressure. Surface roughness affects the size of the contact surface between the tool and workpiece and affects the level of friction during the process. Surface roughness is certainly independent of the dimension of the workpiece itself. According to [7], the causes of size effects can be divided into the causes of density (compression), the causes of the part shape and the causes of the structure. If the density of dislocations in the crystal lattice remains unchanged, the size effect is due to the fact that the reduction in the dimensions of the workpiece also reduces the volume of the material, which results in a reduction in the number of dislocations contained in the material. If the workpiece shape remains unchanged, the ratio of the workpiece surface to the volume changes with the reduction of the dimensions of the workpiece. In this case, the effect of the size is because certain properties are related to the surface (surface tension, heat, friction, surface crystalline grain, etc.), and some properties are related to the volume (weight, thermal capacity, the total number of crystalline grains, etc.). In the case of structural causes, surface roughness, geometry, dislocations, crystalline grain orientation, etc. contribute to the size effect. The work of Ramaekers and Hoogenboom [8] deals with the analysis of the coining process in a fully closed die. The paper explains the determination of the coining force when considering ideal plastic material, which neglects the elastic properties of the material, and its flow stress is constant, i.e. does not depend on the true strain of the material. The paper published by Brekelmans et al. [9] examines the hardening of material. Although the material elastic properties of such material are neglected, the flow stress is no longer constant but depends on the true strain of the material. The work of Ike and Plancak [10] classifies the coining process into the micro-forming area. In their paper, the analysis of the micro-geometry forming was done in the closed coining die with the assumed plane state of strain. Many papers are concerned with the study of the size effects in micro-forming, [7] and [11] to [13], and their influence on the various micro-forming processes, such as micro-indentation [14], micro-imprinting [15], micro-extrusion, [16] and [17], and the bulk forming processes of sheet metal, [18] and [19]. However, relatively few works deal with the coining process and the real problems of production, such as residual stress, elastic deformation and incomplete die filling, [1] to [3], [10] and [20] to [22], lubricant residues and surface damage [23], and tool development and manufacturing, [24] and [25]. That is why this process is still not well-researched and well-known, especially from the micro-forming point of view. By defining the crystalline grain size effect on elastic springback, die filling and the coining force, it is possible to control the process parameters, which will greatly contribute to the quality of the product. Some research work found a solution in FEM analysis of a material behaviour that provides very detailed access to stress-strain conditions [26]. This paper presents research on the influence of the grain size on the coining force and closed die filling. The influence has been investigated experimentally, and a mathematical model for result prediction has been created according to obtained experimental results. The mathematical model takes into account the influence of size effect on the material flow curve and estimates the final coining force and corresponding associated displacement of the tool. To determine the accuracy of model force prediction, the experimental and modelled data were statistically analysed and graphically presented. 1 EMPIRICAL MODEL OF COINING FORCE Important information in the coining process is knowledge about the forming force or force in which a completely filled die cavity is achieved. In scientific publications, [27] to [29], the coining force was estimated with similar empirical models, which can be reduced to Eq. (1): F = Kk ■ f ■ A f = f (ppll). (1) The forging factor Kk is, in this case, a correction factor that includes the impact of the initial dimensions of the workpiece material, inhomogeneous deformation and friction between the contact surfaces of the workpiece and the tool (forging die) [2]. Since the forging factor depends on the type of forging process and the geometry of the die, Eq. (1) can be understood as a general model for calculating the forging force. The empirically determined ranges of the forging factors, for the specific processes and complexity of the die cavity, are adapted from [27] to [29] and given in Table 1, which gives a relatively wide range of forging factors for a specific process. Together with a subjective estimation of the complexity of die cavity geometry this shows that the results are mostly based on the experience of engineers. Table 1. Range of forging factors for the specific die cavity complexity Die type Die cavity complexity Forging factor Simple 3 to 5 Half Closed Complex 5 to 8 Very complex 8 to 12 Closed Simple 6 to 8 Complex 8 to 10 Flow stress expresses the mean value of the current flow stress in the workpiece, and it directly depends on the current true strain of the material. Since the coining process involves the impressing of complex die geometry into the workpiece material, the true strain is not uniform and changes depending on the observed working point, which makes it very difficult to determine the adequate value of the current strain and the current flow stress. In this case, the current stress is estimated approximately on the basis of the upsetting test and the yield stress of the material or, as in the case of a correction factor, is determined by the empirically obtained values from [24], shown in Table 2. Deformation resistance in Table 2 is defined as a product of a forging factor, Kk, and flow stress, k/1, for the specimen material [2]. Table 2. Empirical determination of tensile stress Tensile strength, Rm [MPa] Deformation resistance, Kk • kf1 Material Half-closed die [MPa] Closed die [MPa] Al, 99 % 80 to 120 50 to 80 80 to 120 Al alloys 180 to 320 150 350 Bronze 290 to 410 200 to 300 1500 to 1800 Copper 210 to 240 200 to 300 800 to 1000 Ferrous alloy 280 to 420 300 to 400 1200 to 1500 Steel 600 to 750 600 to 800 2000 to 2500 1.1 Extended Empirical Model Depending on the Crystalline Grain Size The empirical model of the coining force, Eq. (1), can be expressed depending on true strain as: F (