Hole Roller Clinching of Multi-Material-Lightweight Joints

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Wolfram Volk
• Subject Area: Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing
• Term: from 2012 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 227546875

Mechanical and automotive engineering reveals a trend towards an increasing number of individual parts as well as an increasing component complexity. These components, which are made of different materials, have to be joined. Therefore, the development and adaptation of joining technologies is a crucial aspect.The joining method proposed in this research project, hole roller clinching, is an extension of the roller clinching process examined in the first funding period. During the research project optimized process parameters for roller clinching of well formable metallic materials were successfully developed. Now, roller clinching of hybrid components with a focus on lightweight construction is investigated. In these multi-material compounds, one joining partner is difficult to form or the formation can only be achieved to a limited extend. Thus, the process parameters for roller clinching of plastics with and without fiber reinforcement as well as high strength steels combined with materials that offer good formability will be studied in the proposed research project.Hole roller clinching provides the ability to expand the materials suitable for roller clinching. In addition, the combination of two manufacturing processes, clinching and punching, extends the set of process parameters. Main focus of the investigations will be the joining process itself.The main objectives of the research project include:1.Qualification of the hole roller clinching process for use in practice2.Identification of parameter limits of the hole roller clinching process using finite element simulations3.Redesign and adaptation of the tool developed and procured in the project for the examination of the new joining method on the experimental test rig at the Institute of Metal Forming and Casting4.Analysis of process parameters with respect to their influence on the clinch point properties as well as the mechanical properties of the joint and deduction of guidelines for optimizing the joint strength

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1640: Joining by Plastic Deformation
• Co-Investigator: Dr.-Ing. Roland Golle