Design of a Tribo-Simulator for Investigation of the Tribological Behavior of Stainless-Steel Sheets Under Different Contact Conditions

Abstract In sheet metal forming (SMF), deformation is caused by the relative movement between the sheet and tool, which generates friction forces. However, materials behave differently during plastic deformation. In this study, a tribo-simulator was designed to investigate the effect of different contact conditions or formability tests on the tribological behavior of AISI 304 and AISI 430 stainless-steel sheets. The effects of the texture and microstructure of the sheets on the measured coefficients of friction (COFs) and changes that occurred on the tribosurfaces also were investigated. Roughness and microhardness measurements, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction were used in the analyses. The tribo-simulator was successfully manufactured, and the repeatability of the measured COFs was satisfactory (standard deviation of ~0.02). A comparative analysis of the formability tests revealed differences in the COFs. In the bending under tension test, the COF for ferritic steel was 33% higher, while in the strip-tension test, the COF for austenitic steel was 44% higher. Friction was strongly influenced by the texture and microstructural characteristics of the steel sheets. The samples exhibited galling due to severe adhesive wear.