Provision of a fundamental description of metal cutting and forming technology
Demonstration of basic CNC programming techniques
Practical overview of press and form tool design
Highlighting of the importance of theories of failure in the study of plastic flow of metals
An appreciation of the effects of changes within the microstructure on the macrostructure of metals
Provision of an overview of the technology and risks associated with metal forming equipment
Presentation of a general introduction to geometric tolerancing
Metal cutting technology: Layout and design techniques for fixed configuration press tools. Determination of forces required to cut given geometric profiles, methods of force reduction. Methods of moment balancing. Tool configuration for CNC punch presses, description of and advantages of CNC punch presses, CNC punch pressing techniques, CNC press programming, sheet metal CNC punch press practical laboratory.
Metal forming technology: Metal bending, description of tooling / end effectors used in metal air bending and coining. Description of press brakes and associated technology, including CNC control. Determination of forces to initiate bending in specific circumstances. Bend allowance and bend deduction, determination of part profiles. Metal forming, including method of determination of blank diameters and press forces for specific geometry. Metal forming tool configurations.
Work hardening of metals: Review of causes of work hardening in metals. Fundamentals of plasticity, including plastic instability. Use of theories of failure in determination of onset of yield. The true stress – true strain curve, strength co-efficient k and work hardening co-efficient n. Models of elasto-plastic behaviour.
Commercial testing of sheet metals: Plastic ratio, grid circle analysis, forming limit diagrams, commercial tests.
Geometric tolerancing: Purpose of geometric tolerancing systems, comparison and contrast of standard dimensional tolerancing with true position system. Fixed and floating fastener methods, determination of required hole and fastener dimensions.
