Formability of AISI/SAE 1006 steel sheets used for stamping/drawing in the Valley of Aburrá

Abstract

AISI/SAE 1006 steel sheets from three different suppliers were characterized to determine the cause of defects such as tearing that, according to reports from industries located in the Valley of Aburra, appeared on stamped/drawn pieces when the steel supplier was changed. The characterization relied on chemical composition, metallographic analysis, yield strength, tensile strength, anisotropy coefficient (r) and the normal plastic anisotropy ratio (rm). In addition, based on the results obtained during characterization finite element simulations were conducted to verify the reported issue. Finally, visits to supplier and consumers of steel sheet used for drawing and stamping operations were carried out to establish their level of knowledge related to parameters that determine the behavior of steel sheets during the forming processes. Results of simulations confirmed the appearing defects and it was found that their main cause was the lack of knowledge of Colombian suppliers and consumers about parameters that determine the plastic behavior of steel sheets which led to make the steel purchase process based on specifications for general use steels that do not provide useful information about the manufacture process the sheets were bought for.