Producing metallic bipolar plates for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells by forming is still a topic of research. So far, it has mainly been applied for small batches, but it offers substantial advantages regarding both costs and installation space compared to the established graphite based solutions. One new possibility for an efficient manufacturing process of these metallic bipolar plates is the forming by rolling. For the first time, this technology was used for relevant industrial scale channel geometries. By the use of an experimental rolling mill, 0.1 mm thick 316L (1.4404) stainless steel foils were roll-formed to achieve previously designed channel geometries within one rolling pass. The conducted experiments show promising results regarding the forming accuracy and the shape of the channel cross-sections. With the aim for a proof of concept in the beginning and a subsequent optimization of the process, a numerical simulation was set up prior to the real experiments and later calibrated with the experimental forming results. This calibrated model was used for further improvements of the process with the objective at reducing wrinkles and distortion. The investigation of this new process method for the manufacturing of metallic bipolar plates shows enormous potential and can lead to a more efficient and cheaper production.

The constructive design of a flow field layout and the channel cross section parameters from a metallic half- or bipolar plate can have a significant influence on the performance characteristics of a fuel cell. One important aspect in the dimensioning of the channel geometry of half plates is the technical forming feasibility. In this article, first an equation is presented, which enables an analytical calculation of the channel parameters. Hereby, continuing calculations with parameter variations will be possible. Furthermore, the formability of the channel geometry of metallic half plates is evaluated through numerical and experimental investigations. Based on the results, an analytical model approach will be derived that enables an appraisal of the formability from channel cross section contours in an early development state. As a final step, the results of the numerical investigations and the analytical calculation method are compared and evaluated with the results of experimental investigations and other publications. It will be shown, that the derived analytical model approach has a good approximation compared to the effects and results from the numerical and experimental analysis. In particular, the assessment of whether a channel cross section can be manufactured safely is a result with high probability of the analytical model approach. Imprecisions happen, especially in variants with extreme geometries, for example, with very small radii or a huge channel depth. For this kind of variations, the analytical model behaves too sensitively, which makes it more difficult to estimate the damage effects. However, at an early development state, the analytical model offers a good method to get a pre-evaluation of the formability of channel cross sections with a simultaneous parameter variation possibility.

The process of cold flat rolling is a widespread industrial technique to manufacture semi-finished products, e.g., for the automotive or homewares industry. Basic knowledge of the process regarding dimensioning and adjustment of defined characteristics is already state of the art. However, a detailed consideration and analysis with respect to local inhomogeneous residual stresses in several process steps mostly remains disregarded. A broad understanding of the process due to the distribution of residual stresses in the workpiece and the direction of the stress tensors allows for a definition of the characteristics of the workpiece even before the actual manufacturing process. For that purpose, it is necessary to perform numerical investigations by means of the finite element analysis (FEA) of cold flat rolling processes. Within this contribution, several approaches for the calibration of the FEA with the real flat rolling process will be addressed and discussed. To ensure that the numerical consideration provides realistic results, this calibration is indispensable. General parameters such as geometry, height reduction, rolling temperature, process time, and the rolling speed are considered as well as a photogrammetric survey, and calculated residual stresses with results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) will be compared. In the course of the experiments, a good agreement between the stress results of the FEA and the XRD was found in the center of the specimen. In combination with the allocation of the stress orientations, the agreement close to the edges is also fine. Some issues that cause differences between the FEA and the experiment are dis-cussed.