Tool life equation for blanking 18-8 stainless steel strips

Abstract

Hereinafter it is presented a model for the behaviour and life of circular blanking tool used in sheet forming processes of 18-8 stainless steel (sheet thickness: 1 mm). Firstly it has analyzed the different studies that have previously delt with this problem. Secondly taking into account recently made experiments, it is proposed a simple formulation to predict tool life with enough reliability. To this purpose it has examined different parameters in the wear process, inferring from these the fundamental parameters that regulate them and about which the different equations have been configurated. Blanking tests were performed using a 20 t press at a speed of 150 strokes/min. Punch materials used in these tests were AISI A2 and AISI D2 with diameters between 1.5 and 10 mm. The blanking tests were performed at a clearance between 5 and 20 % of the work material thickness.