Laser surface texturing of dies in strip drawing of DP600 steel sheet

Friction at the blank-die contact influences material flow, formability, and product surface quality in processes like deep drawing. Surface modification of the dies by laser texturing is a potential technique to alter the tribological characteristics at the interface during sliding of the sheet over the die surface in lubricated condition. In this work, the effect of laser surface texturing of dies has been investigated under high normal loads during strip drawing of dual phase (DP600) steel. The effect of texture parameters and process parameters on the interface friction between the strip and the dies has been studied. It has been found that the friction coefficient reduced, and the surface finish improved significantly with the textured dies when compared to the conventional die. This study emphasises the importance of surface modification of the dies by laser texturing for its potential application in sheet metal forming processes.