Development of ultra high performance concrete dies for sheet metal hydroforming

• DOI: 10.1007/s11740-008-0099-z
• Publication Date: 2008-05-06T10:40:45Z
• Authors: Matthias Kleiner; Manfred Curbach; A. Erman Tekkaya; Robert Ritter; Kerstin Speck; Michael Trompeter
• Keywords: Hydroforming

The paper concentrates on investigation results dealing with ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) dies for the use in sheet metal hydroforming. A special mixture of UHPC for these tools with its mechanical properties and its manufacturing is presented. The developed UHPC features a compressive strength of approx. 250 MPa and a Young’s modulus of approx. 50 GPa. Applying internal pressure, the UHPC die (without confinement or reinforcement) failed between 80 and 96 MPa. The forming test proved a good shape accuracy of the sheet metal parts but revealed critical tribological conditions. Drawing foil and already formed sheet metal parts were tested successfully as interlayer and led to an appropriate material flow and surface quality of the sheet metal parts.