Distortion analysis in a manufacturing process of cold drawn, induction hardened and machined components

• Applicants: Dr. Heinz-Rolf Stock, since 3/2012; Professor Dr.-Ing. A. Erman Tekkaya
• Subject Area: Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 138834184

Manufacturing processes in general consist of materials solidification processes, metal forming processes and more than one straightening process, machining and heat treatment processes. Machining and final straightening is then necessary to guarantee the required shape and dimensions of machine parts. Few attempts are made to optimize products over more than one production step and difficulties arise from the fact that single production steps in a wortd market take place in different countries around the wortd. Cold forming processes are energy efficient and clean and are used in production processes with an increasing number. Cold forming on the other side significanlly changes materials properties and cold formed automotive parts need a surface heat treatment or have to be through hardened completely to fulfill strength requirements. An improvement of properties during one production step consequently can result in problems in the next, one of the following or finally in the last manufacturing step. Components manufactured in this way show a broad band of distortions, which have to be removed by additional expensive machining operations. The transmission of distortion potentials from one manufacturing step to the other in a cold drawing process with additional induction hardening will be analyzed experimentally and partially modeled. A DoE-plan (design of experiments) of main affecting parameters will be used to identify effects and correlations. A reduction of one or more manufacturing operation as e.g. additional straightening and/or machining will be expected.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Brazil
• Partner Organisation: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; (CAPES); Setor bancario Norte
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Alexandre da Da Silva Rocha; Professor Dr. Alfonso Reguly; Professor Dr. Mario Wolfart
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Privatdozent Dr.-Ing. Thomas Hirsch, until 3/2012