Fast-cooling of aluminium alloy sheet metal for hot-stamping applications

Abstract

The paper reports an investigation into two rapid sheet metal cooling designs that are suitable for applications in hot-stamping production -air cooling and contact cooling, aiming at improving formability of the high-strength aluminium sheets for the forming of components with complex geometries with enhanced overall process efficiency. The investigation involved both numerical modelling and experimental trials using an in-house developed prototype cooling tools. A series of contact cooling experiments were conducted, considering process variables such as initial blank temperatures, cooling die temperatures, die materials, surface conditions, etc. The results demonstrated that the cooling rate of the aluminium blank could be accurately controlled by both methods with appropriate pre-setting of the equipment and control of the process parameters. The integration of the cooling system into a polit hot-stamping production was also tried, considering industry-scale applications related factors. The results can serve as a design guidance for an industry to introduce such cooling methods and manufacturing facilities.