Analysis of the Lubrication Performance of Low-Carbon Steel Sheets in the Presence of Pressurised Lubricant

Abstract In sheet metal forming processes, friction increases the force parameters of the forming process and produces a deterioration in the quality of the surface of the components. The basic way to reduce the unfavourable impact of friction is to lubricate the sheet metal surface with commercial oils. This article presents the results of experimental studies and analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the friction of DC01 low-carbon steel sheets using a strip drawing test. For these tests, a special device was built containing countersamples with a flat surface made of 145Cr6 steel covered with a protective AlTiN coating. Lubricants of different viscosities were fed into the contact zone under forced pressure. The effect of contact pressure on the value of the coefficient of friction was also determined. The predicted R² of 0.9227 was in reasonable agreement with the adjusted R² of 0.9411 confirming that the ANOVA model was reliable. It was found that increasing the lubricant pressure had a beneficial effect in reducing the value of the coefficient of friction. The higher the contact pressure, the more effectively the pressurised oil reduced the value of the coefficient of friction.