How To Prevent Wrinkling During Deep Drawing

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How To Prevent Wrinkling During Deep Drawing

In the deep drawing process, a punch pushes a sheet metal blank into a die cavity, resulting in a contoured
part. A part is said to be deep-drawn if the depth of the part is at least half of its diameter. Otherwise, it is
simply called general stamping.
Deep draw stamping is a widely used process that produces a range of household items, such as soup cans,
battery casings, fire extinguishers, and even the kitchen sink. A deep draw process may have one or more
drawing operations, depending on the complexity of the part.
Wrinkling and Deep Drawing Operations
One of the primary defects that occurs in deep drawing operations
is the wrinkling of sheet metal material, generally in the wall or
flange of the part. The flange of the blank undergoes radial
drawing stress and tangential compressive stress during the
stamping process, which sometimes results in wrinkles. Wrinkling
is preventable if the deep drawing system and stamped part are
designed properly.

Causes Of Wrinkling In Deep Drawn Parts

Several factors can cause wrinkles in deep drawn parts, including:
Blank holder pressure
Die cavity depth and radius
Friction between the blank, blank holder, punch and die cavity
Clearances between the blank, blank holder, punch and die cavity
Blank shape and thickness
Final part geometry
Punch speed
Other factors, such as die temperature and the metal alloy of the blank, can also affect the drawing process. A
variation in any of these factors influences the potential for wrinkling or cracking in the deep-drawn part.
The blank holder, as the name implies, holds the edges of the sheet metal blank in place against the top of the
die while the punch forces the sheet metal into the die cavitythe sheet metal deforms into the proper shape,
instead of simply being pulled into the die cavity.
The blank holder, however, does not hold the edges of the blank rigidly in place. If this were the case, tearing
could occur in the cup wall. The blank holder allows the blank to slide somewhat by providing frictional force
between the blank holder and the blank itself. Blank holder force can be applied hydraulically with pressure
feedback, by using an air or nitrogen cushion, or a numerically controlled hydraulic cushion.
The greater the die cavity depth, the more blank material has to be pulled down into the die cavity and the
greater the risk of wrinkling in the walls and flange of the part. The maximum die cavity depth is a balance
between the onset of wrinkling and the onset of fracture, neither of which is desirable.
The radii degrees of the punch and die cavity edges control the flow of blank material into the die cavity.
Wrinkling in the cup wall can occur if the radii of the punch and die cavity edges are too large. If the radii are
too small, the blank is prone to tearing because of the high stresses.
Methods for Preventing Wrinkling in Deep Drawn Parts: Using a Blank Holder
The simplest method for eliminating wrinkling in deep-drawn parts is using a blank holder. In most deep
drawing processes, a constant blank holder pressure is applied throughout the entire drawing action.
Variable blank holder pressure, however, has been employed with some success. A pneumatic or hydraulic
blank holder cushion can vary the blank holder pressure linearly over the stroke of the machine. This provides
some increase in the allowable die cavity depth.
A numerically controlled (NC) die cushion can be used to provide a variable blank holder pressure over the
course of drawing action. In an optimal blank holder pressure force profile, the initial force is large so as to
provide initial deformations.

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How To Prevent Wrinkling During Deep Drawing

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The cushion drops off to pull material into the die cavity, and then slowly increases back up to ensure strain
hardening in the drawn part. An NC die cushion can dramatically increase the allowable die cavity depth
while preventing both wrinkling and cracking.
Methods for Preventing Wrinkling in Deep Drawn Parts: Die Cavity Design
The design of the punch and die cavity can be optimized to reduce the probability of wrinkling. Choosing a
flange radius that is just large enough to prevent cracking can minimize the potential for wrinkles.
Additionally, considering minimizing the part complexity and any asymmetry can also help. Incorporating a
multi-step drawing process offers a variety of advantages in preventing wrinkling in deep-drawn parts.
Designing the blank geometry to minimize excess material can reduce the potential for wrinkling. The sheet
metal blank has an inherent grain structure, so the stresses can vary depending on the design of the die and
the orientation of the grain. Adjusting the grain in an asymmetrical design to minimize the compound of
grain stresses and the general stresses of the deep draw process is something to take into consideration.
Other Factors To Consider
Surface conditions of each component can be tailored to improve overall performance. Lubricants reduce the
friction between the blank and the punch and die cavity and can be liquid (wet) or films (dry). Generally, they
are applied to the blank before drawing.
Today, dry films are gaining acceptance because they reduce the need for part washing after fabrication.
While lubricants can facilitate the metal flow into the die cavity, consider increasing the blank holding force to
account for the reduced friction.
In the past, trial and error and operator experience optimized part and die design. Today, computer aided
design and finite element modeling are used to create part and die designs and to simulate the deep drawing
process, significantly reducing the costs of tooling and labor in the design process.
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