A working surface monitoring system for ceramic superplastic forming dies

Staiano, Andrea (2014) A working surface monitoring system for ceramic superplastic forming dies. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

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Abstract

Superplastic forming (SPF) is an advanced sheet manufacturing process typically restricted to low volume and high value products. Ceramic SPF dies have a lower production cost than conventional metal tools, and have short lead-times, but their brittle nature is a limiting factor for SPF applications. Suitable surface treatments have a remarkable effect on wear resistance; hence, the working surface of the die can be improved by the application of appropriate coatings, increasing the lifetime of the SPF ceramic dies. This dissertation describes a method for the investigation of surface degradation mechanisms in ceramic dies during SPF process at laboratory scale. A test protocol has been developed and it is presented in this dissertation. The test protocol is composed of three stages: sample preparation, experimental test and sample analysis. In order to conduct the test protocol, a test rig has been identified within the University of Strathclyde. The test rig has been upgraded with new tooling in order to be able to deal with ceramic materials. The design of the tool is described in the dissertation. The implementation of the test protocol enabled the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) to test ceramic material at SPF conditions and shows it is possible to monitor the surface wear of the ceramic die during repeated SPF cycles, through the analysis of the surface morphology of the superplastically deformed titanium samples.

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