Improvement of Tribological Conditions in Tube Hydroforming by Using Environmentally Friendly Lubricant Systems and Textured Tubes

本项目的总体目标是了解管材液压成形过程中的润滑和摩擦条件。通过实现项目目标，将有可能评估各种候选润滑剂在管材液压成形中的适用性和应用。要评估的润滑剂必须是环境友好和无污染的，同时提供足够的润滑性和低摩擦系数。因此，可以改善工艺条件和零件质量。管材液压成形是一种相对较新的工艺，越来越多地用于制造汽车零部件。该工艺在减少零件重量和装配操作以及增加零件刚度和性能方面具有优势。在管液压成形中，管状预成型件被放置在两个半模之间，预成型件被内部加压，同时管端部被轴向地朝向模具中心进给或推动。因此，管状预成型件膨胀以实现模具的内部几何形状，希望没有缺陷，即断裂或褶皱。该项目的结果将改善管材液压成形的润滑条件，使该工艺更可靠，更坚固，更具成本效益，并得到更广泛的应用。

The overall objective of this project is to understand the lubrication and friction conditions in Tube Hydroforming processes. By achieving the project objectives it will be possible to evaluate various candidate lubricants regarding their suitability and application in tube hydroforming. The lubricants to be evaluated must be environmentally friendly and non polluting while providing adequate lubricity and a low coefficient of friction. Thus, it will be possible to improve process conditions and part quality. Tube Hydroforming is a relatively new process that is being used increasingly in manufacturing automotive components. The process offers advantages in reducing part weight and assembly operations, and in increasing part stiffness and properties. In tube hydroforming a tubular preform is placed between two die halves, the preform is internally pressurized while the tube ends are fed or pushed axially towards the die center. Thus, the tubular preform is expanded to achieve the internal geometry of the dies, hopefully without defects, i.e. fracture or wrinkles. The results of this project will improve lubrication conditions in tube hydroforming and will make the process more reliable, robust, cost effective and more widely used.