Sheet metal forming belongs to one of the most important technologies enabling the production durable but quite lightweight metal parts. The quality of the drawn parts depends on the deformed sheet metal, applied forming technology and process parameters, such as contact pressure, relative velocity, temperature or lubrication. The forming of steel (1.4021) parts using benign lubricant is analysed. The paper proposes replacing conventional mineral/synthetic lubricants with ones based on vegetable oils and boric acid. The effectiveness of the lubricants was assessed in laboratory strip drawing and cupping tests, and in production. An oil-based lubricant with an additive of boric acid is very effective in reducing frictional resistance and protecting the forming tools against galling. Graphic

This paper presents the possibility of using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) method to obtain WCCo composite materials. Such materials are used as cutting blades for machining wood-based materials. Two series of composites, different in grain size and cobalt content, were analyzed in the paper. The produced materials were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and tribological properties were determined. In addition, preliminary tests were carried out on the durability of the blades made of sintered WCCo composites while machining three-layer chipboard. The results of the microstructure analysis proved that the SPS method makes it possible to obtain solid composites. Phase analysis showed the occurrence of the following phases: WC, Co, and Co₃W₉C₄. The lowest friction coefficient value was found in samples sintered using powder with an average primary particle size of 400 nm (ultrafine).

The paper analyses the forming of the surgical instrument handles made of Grade 2 titanium sheets. Sheet metal forming is a technology ensuring high strength and light weight of products. Replacing stainless steels with titanium further reduces instrument weight and additionally provides the required resistance to corrosive environments typical for surgeries. The low instrument weight is important to prevent fatigue of surgeons and allow them to maintain high operational accuracy during long term surgeries. The numerical analysis of the technological process was performed in order to adapt it to forming tool handles using titanium sheets instead of steel sheets. The numerical calculations were experimentally verified. It was found that, in the case of titanium handles, it is necessary to use a blank holder in the first forming operation to eliminate sheet wrinkling in the flange area. The shape and dimensional accuracy of the drawn part after trimming were high enough and the 4th forming operation became unnecessary. Moreover, the process modification included lubrication using rapeseed oil with the addition of boric acid, which effectively prevents the galling of titanium on the working surfaces of the steel tools and ensures a more uniform distribution of plastic strains in the drawn part.

Friction, wear, and lubrication are inherent to all metal-forming processes. Unfortunately, they are particularly troublesome when forming titanium materials, which tend to form titanium buildup on the working surfaces of the forming tools. Lubrication is one of the most effective ways to separate contacting surfaces and eliminate galling, thus reducing tool wear. The paper presents the tribological aspects of titanium sheets forming using environmentally friendly lubricants with the addition of boric acid. The lubricant’s effectiveness was assessed on the basis of technological tests, such as the strip drawing test, the Erichsen cupping test, and the formation of spherical drawn parts in industrial conditions. Moreover, the results of the numerical simulation of forming a titanium hat-shaped part are presented. Numerical calculations of forming processes were performed using the PamStamp 2G system based on the finite element method. Both experiments and numerical analyses showed the positive effect of lubricants with boric acid on sheet titanium forming.

WC-Co (tungsten carbide-cobalt) composites are widely used in industry, wear-resistant parts, and cutting tools. As successful tool materials, WC-Co carbides are widely applied in metal cutting, wear applications, chipless forming, stoneworking, wood, and plastic working. These materials are exposed to severe solid particle erosion by sand particles, such as in the wood industry. During the production of furniture with HDF (High Density Fibreboard), MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard), or OSB (Oriented Strand Board), there are observed problems with tool erosion. Contamination, mainly of the HDF by sand, is quite often, which is why all tools used for the machining of such materials are exposed to erosion by sand particles. Although many studies have been performed on the erosion of various metals, and erosion models exist to predict their erosion behavior, the issue is still relevant. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of grain size (submicron, ultrafine) and the manufacturing technology (SPS—Spark Plasma Sintering, conventional) used on the erosive properties of WC-Co sintered carbides. Sinters produced by the SPS method with different sizes of WC grains and commercial samples were used for the tests. Ten two-hour cycles were carried out under medium conditions of quartz sand and quartz sand with 10% SiC added. Used samples were characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and roughness was determined. Furthermore, erosion studies allowed individuating a wear mechanism as well as the possibility to foresee cutting performance in prospective application.

Copper coatings are an important group of decorative-protective materials characterised by high corrosion resistance, excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, which lately gained more significance due to their antimicrobial activity. The main aim of the presented research was to electrodeposit homogenous copper coatings from the non-cyanide electrolyte solution in galvanostatic conditions on steel (1.4024) and nickel (Ni201) substrates, commercially used for surgical instruments. The effect of substrate finishes used in the production line, by shot peening with glass balls, corundum treatment and brushing on the coatings surface formation, was investigated. The substrates’ and coatings’ microstructural properties were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The current efficiency of the copper reduction on nickel and steel substrates was found to be above 95%. The copper layers adhere to both substrates, except those deposited on a brushed surface. Regardless of the substrate used, they have a nanocrystalline structure with an average crystallite size of 30 nm. Moreover, the coating surface morphology, which affects the nature of interaction with microorganisms, was effectively modified by the appropriate substrate finishing without changing the electrodeposition conditions.