Adaptive metal flow control in stamping through ferrofluidic actuators

Abstract

Inhomogeneous metal flow in stamping non-axisymmetric parts makes material deformation in the flange critical, resulting in uneven sheet thickness distribution, high blank holder forces or even the need to use draw beads to compensate for large material draw-in. The paper presents an innovative mechatronic system for the adaptive control of the blank holder force, which integrates ferrofluidic actuators and non-contact sensors for the in-line material flow measurement, with the aim of exploring, through laboratory-scale experiments, the feasibility of its implementation in stamping processes and understanding the potential benefits to enable more reliable process design.