Application of design of experiment technique for metal blanking processes optimization

The blanking of metal parts is subjected to a variety of process parameters. In this paper, an experimental investigation of the blanking process was carried out using tools with four different wear states and four different clearances. The aim was to study the effects of the interaction between the clearance, the wear state of the tool and the sheet metal thickness on the evolution of the blanking force and the geometry of the sheared profile. Designed experiments are an efficient and cost-effective way to model and analyze the relationships that describe process variations. The results of the proposed experimental investigation show that there is no universal optimal clearance value. Whether clearance should be set at 5% or 10% ultimately depends on the priorities of the practitioners. In the present investigation, mathematical relationship describing the fracture zone depth, the fracture angle and the blanking force are proposed.