Author : Bhav Gautam, Vaibhav Chandra, Praveen Kumar, Narayan Agrawal and Sunny Kumar

In forming aluminium 6061alloy sheet, heat generated, due to friction between die and sheet, is greatly reduced by the application of lubricants. In this study, a comparison has been done between lubricant coated and uncoated (unlubricated) aluminium AA6061-T6 alloy sheet using Erichsen Cupping Test. For uncoated sheets, test was done under dry and heated conditions whereas for lubricant coated sheets, effectiveness of three lubricants (boric acid, graphite and Teflon or PTFE) was examined. The performance of lubricants was based on two parameters i.e.Draw Force and Draw Depth. The results of lubricant coated and uncoated AA606-T6 sheets were compared to determine the optimum performance of lubricants used. It was found that sheet under uncoated heated condition required minimum draw force whereas maximum was found in uncoated dry condition. The draw force for lubricant coated sheets was between dry uncoated and heated conditions. Also, the application of lubricants showed more draw depth when compared with uncoated conditions. This study concluded that the application of boric acid as lubricant onAA6061-T6 alloy sheets had optimum performance when compared with other lubricants.

Keywords: Erichsen Cupping Test, Solid lubricants, Draw force, Draw depth, formability,AA6061-T6 alloy sheet

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.6, No.1 (Feb-2016)