Wear behavior of different materials for stamping of mild steel

In sheet metal forming and stamping industries, the wear of dies continues to be a great concern to the automotive industry. During the operation, the higher forming forces, higher wear, galling and premature die surface failures, and eventually insufficient product quality, interrupted production, and unexpected cost increases. Hence, in order to prolong the die-life, reduce down-time, and increase production rate and profitability; manufacturers are looking into alternative die materials, coatings, lubricants and their compatible combinations that would increase the die-life/ performance at reasonable cost levels. Cold work steel dies are important tools used in sheet metal stamping. There are so many options and combinations of die materials and coatings that it is rather time-consuming to select a proper, if not optimal, pair of die material and coating for a given application.