Experimental Study of High-Frequency Vibration Assisted Micro/Meso-Scale Forming of Metallic Materials

Micro/meso-scale forming is a promising technology for mass production of miniature metallic parts. However, fabrication of micro/meso-scale features leads to challenges due to the friction increase at the interface and tool wear from highly localized stress. In this study, the use of high-frequency vibration for potential application in the technology of micro/meso-scale forming has been investigated. A versatile experimental setup based on a magnetostrictive (Terfenol-D) actuator was built. Vibration assisted micro/meso-scale upsetting, pin extrusion and cup extrusion were conducted to understand the effects of workpiece size, excitation frequency and the contact condition. Results showed a change in load reduction behavior that was dependent on the excitation frequency and contact condition. The load reduction can be explained by a combination of stress superposition and friction reduction. It was found that a higher excitation frequency and a less complicated die-specimen interface were more likely to result in a friction reduction by high-frequency vibration.