DEER DRAW

Deep drawing is a sheet metal forming process in which a sheet metal blank is radially drawn
into a forming die by the mechanical action of a punch.[1] It is thus a shape transformation
process with material retention. The process is considered "deep" drawing when the depth of the
drawn part exceeds its diameter. This is achieved by redrawing the part through a series of dies.
The flange region (sheet metal in the die shoulder area) experiences a radial drawing stress and
a tangential compressive stress due to the material retention property. These compressive
stresses (hoop stresses) result in flange wrinkles (wrinkles of the first order). Wrinkles can be
prevented by using a blank holder, the function of which is to facilitate controlled material flow
into the die radius.
PROCESS

The total drawing load consists of the ideal forming load and an additional component to
compensate for friction in the contacting areas of the flange region and bending forces as well as
unbending forces at the die radius. The forming load is transferred from the punch radius through
the drawn part wall into the deformation region (sheet metal flange). In the drawn part wall, which
is in contact with the punch, the hoop strain is zero whereby the plane strain condition is
reached. In reality, mostly the strain condition is only approximately plane. Due to tensile forces
acting in the part wall, wall thinning is prominent and results in an uneven part wall thickness,
such that the part wall thickness is lowest at the point where the part wall loses contact with the
punch, i.e., at the punch radius.

The thinnest part thickness determines the maximum stress that can be transferred to the
deformation zone. Due to material volume constancy, the flange thickens and results in blank
holder contact at the outer boundary rather than on the entire surface. The maximum stress that
can be safely transferred from the punch to the blank sets a limit on the maximum blank size
(initial blank diameter in the case of rotationally symmetrical blanks). An indicator of
material formability is the limiting drawing ratio (LDR), defined as the ratio of the maximum blank
diameter that can be safely drawn into a cup without flange to the punch diameter. Determination
of the LDR for complex components is difficult and hence the part is inspected for critical areas
for which an approximation is possible. During severe deep drawing the material work hardens
and it may be necessary to anneal the parts in controlled atmosphere ovens to restore the
original elasticity of the material.

Commercial applications of this metal shaping process often involve complex geometries with
straight sides and radii. In such a case, the term stamping is used in order to distinguish between
the deep drawing (radial tension-tangential compression) and stretch-and-bend (along the
straight sides) components. Deep drawing is always accompanied by other forming techniques
within the press. These other forming methods include:[2]

 Beading: Material is displaced to create a larger, or smaller, diameter ring of material beyond
the original body diameter of a part, often used to create O-ring seats.
 Bottom Piercing: A round or shaped portion of metal is cut from the drawn part.
 Bulging: In the bulging process a portion of the part's diameter is forced to protrude from the
surrounding geometry.
 Coining: Material is displaced to form specific shapes in the part. Typically coining should not
exceed a depth of 30% of the material thickness.
 Curling: Metal is rolled under a curling die to create a rolled edge.
 Extruding: After a pilot hole is pierced, a larger diameter punch is pushed through, causing
the metal to expand and grow in length.
 Ironing / Wall Thinning: Ironing is a process to reduce the wall thickness of parts. Typically
ironing should not exceed a depth of 30% of the material thickness.
 Necking: A portion of the part is reduced in diameter to less than the major diameter.
 Notching: A notch is cut into the open end of the part. This notch can be round, square, or
shaped.
 Rib Forming: Rib forming involves creating an inward or outward protruding rib during the
drawing process.
 Side Piercing: Holes are pierced in the side wall of the drawn part. The holes may be round
or shaped according to specifications.
 Stamping / Marking: This process is typically used to put identification on a part, such as a
part number or supplier identification.
 Threading: Using a wheel and arbor, threads are formed into a part. In this way threaded
parts can be produced within the stamping press.
 Trimming: In the Trimming process, excess metal that is necessary to draw the part is cut
away from the finished part.

Often components are partially deep draw in order to create a series of diameters throughout the
component (as in the image of the deep draw line). It common use to consider this process as a
cost saving alternative to turned parts which require much more raw material.

Example of deep drawn line

The sequence of deep drawn components is referred to as a "deep draw line". The numbers of
components that form the deep draw line is given by the quantity of "stations" available in the
press. In the case of mechanical presses this is determined by the number of cams on the top
shaft.

For high precision mass productions, it is always advisable to use a transfer press also known as
eyelet press. The advantage of this type of press, in respect to conventional progressive presses,
is that the parts is transferred from one die to the next by means of so-called "fingers". Not only
do the fingers transfer the parts but they also guide the component during the process. This
allows parts to be drawn to the deepest depths with the tightest tolerances.
Other types of presses:[3]

 Die-Set Transfer Press: Part is transferred via transfer fingers as the part progresses through
the forming process. Tooling components attached to die plates enable the die to be installed
in the press as one unit.
 ICOP (Individually Cam Operated Press): The part is transferred via transfer fingers as the
part progresses through the forming process. Die components are installed in the press one
station at a time.
 Progressive Die Press: The part is carried on the steel webbing as it progresses through the
forming process.

VARIATION

Deep drawing has been classified into conventional and unconventional deep drawing. The main
aim of any unconventional deep drawing process is to extend the formability limits of the process.
Some of the unconventional processes include hydromechanical deep drawing, Hydroform
process, Aquadraw process, Guerin process, Marform process and the hydraulic deep drawing
process to name a few.

The Marform process, for example, operates using the principle of rubber pad forming
techniques. Deep-recessed parts with either vertical or sloped walls can be formed. In this type
of forming, the die rig employs a rubber pad as one tool half and a solid tool half, similar to the
die in a conventional die set, to form a component into its final shape. Dies are made of cast light
alloys and the rubber pad is 1.5-2 times thicker than the component to be formed. For
Marforming, single-action presses are equipped with die cushions and blank holders. The blank
is held against the rubber pad by a blank holder, through which a punch is acting as in
conventional deep drawing. It is a double-acting apparatus: at first the ram slides down, then the
blank holder moves: this feature allows it to perform deep drawings (30-40% transverse
dimension) with no wrinkles.[4][5][6][7][8]

Industrial uses of deep drawing processes include automotive body and structural parts, aircraft
components, utensils and white goods. Complex parts are normally formed using progressive
dies in a single forming press or by using a press line.

WORK PIECE MATERIAL & POWER REQUIREMENT

Softer materials are much easier to deform and therefore require less force to draw. The
following is a table demonstrating the draw force to percent reduction of commonly used
materials.

Drawing force required for various materials and reductions [kN][9]

Material

39% 43% 47% 50%

Aluminium 88 101 113 126

Brass 117 134 151 168

Cold-rolled steel 127 145 163 181

Stainless steel 166 190 214 238

TOOL MATERIAL
Punches and dies are typically made of tool steel, however carbon steel is cheaper, but not as
hard and is therefore used in less severe applications, it is also common to see cemented
carbides used where high wear and abrasive resistance is present. Alloy steels are normally
used for the ejector system to kick the part out and in durable and heat resistant blankholders.[10]

LUBRICANTS & COOLANT