Influence of Materials and Its Conditions on Pin-Extrusion from Sheet Metal

The chapter delves into the intricacies of pin extrusion from sheet metal, focusing on the critical role of material properties and conditions. It begins by highlighting the potential of pin extrusion to simplify microforming challenges and its various applications, such as joining dissimilar materials. The lack of lateral restriction during the process leads to unwanted material flow, reducing material utilization. The influence of different materials and conditions on this flow is controversially documented. The study employs a combined numerical-experimental method to analyze the effects of material strength and strain hardening behavior. Numerical simulations with model materials reveal that elastic-ideal plastic materials achieve the highest material utilization, while strain-hardening materials show reduced performance. The findings are validated through experimental tests with copper, DC04, and AA6014-W materials. The chapter also introduces a flow cross-section theory to explain the formation of funnels during the process. The study concludes that the strain hardening exponent is a crucial factor for optimizing pin height and material utilization, independent of material strength. The work provides valuable insights for future research and applications in areas such as joining technology and mechanically stressed parts.