Blanking of fibre reinforced plastics. Manufacturing technology and numerical modelling

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Bergs, since 7/2019; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Reese
• Subject Area: Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing ; Applied Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 286076101

Carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) demonstrate a high strength to density ratio as compared with the conventional construction materials. This material property of CFRP defines a high potential for the manufacturing of the weight-optimized components in the contest of material based lightweight design. It is expected that CFRP components will be used in high-volume production of the automotive industry. The CFRP components are often manufactured near-net-shape. For the further usage of these CFRP components trimming or piercing for the generation of the functional elements is required. One potentially economically efficient manufacturing technology suitable for the high-volume production is blanking. CFRP blanking does not belong to the state of the art so that the cause and effect relationships during the blanking process are not yet researched.The aim of this proposal is the development of an analytical-empirical model by which means principal cause and effect relationships between the material behavior and the resulting workpiece quality in blanking process can be adequately explained. Understanding of the physical mechanisms in the cutting zone lies in in the focus of the study. These mechanisms are essentially determined by the deformation, resulting damage and ultimately failure of the CFRP compound. The acquired understanding of the basic processes enables subsequently the realization of CFRP blanking with a high workpiece quality through the result-oriented process design.The development of the explanation model is realized through the cooperation of IFAM and WZL. IFAM carries out the material characterization as well the formulation and numerical implementation of a microscopically motivated material model that is capable of realistic reproduction of the CFRP separation in blanking process. The WYL is responsible for the systematic experimental investigation of the CFRP blanking and identification of the significant cause and effect relationships between the process parameter and the process results. These insights will be considered during the development of the material model. Furthermore, the WZL carries out a numerical analysis of the CFRP blanking using the material model developed and implemented by IFAM. Finally, the explanation model for the CFRP separation in blanking process will be synthesized from the obtained findings.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr.-Ing. Fritz Klocke, until 6/2019