Optimization of the Stamping Process of Oven Sides Panels for Domestic Cooking Through Finite Element Modeling

Sheet metal forming processes are industrially crucial for the white goods and automotive industries. However, for industrial applications it requires greater knowledge of the laws that govern the behavior of metal sheets under the demands to which they are exposed in different operations. This study addresses a specific problem at the industrial level in an important company that manufactures white line products. They currently produce three models of domestic kitchens with a combustion oven. For the manufacture of the side panels of the ovens, stamping is carried out with the use of solid lubricants (polyethylene film), this lubricant facilitates processing; but it constitutes a big environmental problem when discarding it. The objective of this study is to optimize the sheet metal stamping process without the use of solid lubricant. It is carried out through a 23 factorial design of experiments supported by computer-aided engineering to determine the factors and significant levels on the quality of the product obtained. It was found that the radius of curvature is the most influential factor. The values of the radius, the coefficient of kinetic friction and the quality of the optimal sheet metal that reduce the stresses, the variation of the thickness and the formability of the sheet metal were established. This study allowed the company to dispense with the use of polymeric films during the stamping process, saving production costs and generating an important environmental contribution.