Round deep drawing of metal is a simple sheet metal drawing process where round shape products are fabricated using deep drawing technique. In the simplest of the process, the round deep drawing process can produce a cup like shape from a round shape metal blank.
A round deep drawing process works like any other deep drawing process. A sheet metal blank is pressed by a plunger into a metal die. Unlike the metal drawing process that completes in a single stage, a round deep drawing process usually takes 3 to 4 stages to complete.
To avoid any manufacturing defects, a round deep drawing is done in 3 to 4 stages. In each stage the blank is drawn to a fixed percentage. There are several factors that affect the round deep drawing process. These factors include, material strength, ductility, sheet thickness, blank diameter, drawing depth and product quality.
These factors define how many stages will be needed and how deep you can draw any specific metal for sheet metal deep drawing.
Stage 1 of the round deep drawing process involves developing a primary shape for the further deep drawing process. First stage of the draw is not deep. It has a greater diameter as compared to the depth of the draw.
Stage 2 is performed on the stage 1 draw. It increases the depth of the draw while reducing the diameter of the draw.
Stage 3 of deep drawing achieves the near net shape of the deep drawing product. The diameter and depth of the draw is usually near to the diameter and depth of the final product.
Stage 4 is the final stage of the deep draw where the final shape of the deep draw product is achieved. All product features are achieved in this stage.
Round deep drawing is done in four stages to avoid product defects like uneven top ends called earing.
Round deep drawing machine consists of three main components, the deep drawing die, blank holder, and plunger or punch. The deep drawing die is made of exactly the same shape of which the final product is needed. For different stages of the process, different dies are used. These dies are usually made of high wear resistance metal material.
The blank holder has one job and that is to hold a blank during the process. It usually gets clamped on the die and presses the metal round blank corners so they clip into the die during the process.
The plunger or punch is usually a cylindrical shape die whose dimensions like diameter, length and unique shape feature (if required) are as per the dimensions and shape of the final product needed.
To do the round deep drawing process, place the round metal blank on the die and hold on its place using a blank holder. Machine then presses the blank into the die using the plunger or punch. Plunger does not hit blank like a hammer rather it presses the blank into the die with gradual increase of pressure until blank takes the die shape.
Not all materials can be processed using a round deep drawing process. Materials properties like ductility, formability and elastic & plastic deformation is very important for this process.
Some of the most common materials and their properties that are processed using round deep drawing.
Low Carbon Steel
Ductility. Highly ductile of low carbon steel allows easy deformation during deep drawing without cracking.
Formability. It has a good formability which makes him suitable for most deep drawing applications.
Smooth Surface Finish. Low carbon steel typically produces excellent and smooth surface finishes in a deep drawing process.
Soft Aluminum Alloys
High Ductility. Soft aluminum and its alloys are known for exhibiting high ductility. Aluminium deep drawing allows them easy deformation in a round deep drawing process.
Lightweight. Aluminum and its alloy are very lightweight. This makes them an ideal choice for deep drawing applications where being a lightweight product is a critical factor.
Hard Aluminum Alloys
High strength to weight ratio. Hard aluminum alloys offer higher strength with low density when compared to soft alloys. This makes them an ideal choice for the deep drawing process of mechanical components.
Limited Formability. They may have reduced formability due to their high strength. Special considerations are needed to prevent defects like earring and cracking.
Copper
High Ductility. Copper is highly ductile. Copper deep drawing facilitates deep drawing operations. It's much easier to deep draw as compared to steel and aluminum.
Thermal Conductivity. Excellent thermal conductivity of copper is a notable property in deep drawing of electrical applications.
Brass
Corrosion Resistance. Brass metal stamping offers good corrosion resistance that makes it most suitable for applications involving high humidity atmospheric conditions.
Malleability. It is malleable, which means it deforms quite easily. This contributes to its formability in round deep drawing.
Bronze
Strength and Toughness. It combines strength and toughness. This makes it suitable for certain mechanical applications involving impact forces.
Corrosion Resistance. It also has good corrosion resistance. So has application in all humid environment conditions.
Titanium
High Strength to Weight Ratio. Titanium deep drawing has a high strength to weight ratio much higher than aluminum alloy. This makes it suitable for lightweight aerospace deep drawing applications.
Corrosion Resistance. It is corrosion resistant. This is advantageous in certain environments.
Material | |||
Stainless Steel | Enclosures for electronic devices | Surgical instrument casings | Automotive components (e.g., exhaust systems) |
Medical implant cases | Pressure vessels | ||
Sensor components | Diagnostic equipment housings | Valve bodies and fittings | |
Metal casings for electronic gadgets | Dental components | Kitchen and household appliance parts | |
Aluminum Alloys | Smartphone cases | Medical device casings | Aerospace components (e.g., aircraft bodies) |
Heat sinks | Surgical tool handles | Automotive body panels | |
LED housing and fixtures | Diagnostic imaging equipment housings | Lighting fixtures | |
Copper Alloys | Electrical connectors | Electrical connectors | Electrical contacts and connectors |
Radiofrequency (RF) components | Pacemaker components | Heat exchanger tubes | |
Coils and inductors | MRI components | Electronic components in industrial equipment | |
Titanium Alloys | Aerospace components (e.g., aircraft parts) | Orthopedic implants | High-performance racing bike frames |
Medical device frames | Dental implants | Marine components (e.g., boat propellers) | |
Watch cases and components | Prosthetic components | Sports equipment components (e.g., golf clubs) |
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