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DEEP DRAWING PROCESS

CH. Aditya Krishna, Akash Kasina,Jaya Kalyani, Ankit Gupta, Vivek Swamy

Abstract—Deep drawing also known as cup drawing is a sheet

metal forming process which is widely adopted in automobile
and aircraft industries. Deep drawing operation is carried out by
single acting and double acting hydraulic presses. In this report,
the mechanism of operation and the differences in the texture
and appearance of the finished product have been compared
and contrasted. Wrinkles were observed in the product from
the single acting press whereas the double acting press yielded
relatively wrinkle free product. The cracks developed at the edges
during fast action has been studied too. Fig. 2. Process of Deep Drawing [1]

I. I NTRODUCTION
in case of single acting press whereas it is moved towards the
Deep drawing is a sheet metal forming process in which punch in double acting press.
a sheet metal blank is radially drawn into a forming die Hence the double action press controls the punch and blank
by the mechanical action of a punch. It is thus a shape holder independently and forms the part at a constant speed.
transformation process with material retention. The process Since blank holder force controls the flow of the sheet metal
is considered “deep” drawing when the depth of the drawn within the die, tough and better quality products can be
part exceeds its diameter. manufactured.
Cup shaped objects, utensils, pressure vessels, gas cylinders,
cans, shells, kitchen sinks etc are some of the products of II. T HEORY
deep drawing.
Deep drawing of sheet metal is performed with a punch and
die. The punch is taken of the desired shape of the base of the
part. The die cavity matches the punch and is a little wider
to allow for its passage, as well as clearance. Clearance is
the lateral distance between the die edge and the punch edge.
The sheet metal work piece, called a blank, is placed over the
die opening. A blank holder, that surrounds the punch, applies
pressure to the entire surface of the blank, holding the sheet
metal work flat against the die. The punch travels towards the
blank. After contacting the work, the punch forces the sheet
metal into the die cavity, forming its shape.

Equipment for sheet metal deep drawing processes would

involve a double action, one for the blank holder and one for
the punch. Punch and die materials, for the deep drawing of
sheet metal, are usually tool steels and iron. However, the
range of materials for punch and die can span from plastics
to carbides. Parts are usually drawn at speeds of 4 to 12
inches per second.
Fig. 1. Products of Deep drawing[1]
Two main factors will cause the punch in deep drawing to
draw the metal into the die cavity, rather than shearing it:
1) When cutting sheet metal, the punch and die edges do
In manufacturing sectors single acting hydraulic presses are not have a radius. Sharp corners on the punch and die
used conventionally. This leads to formation of wrinkles in cause it to cut. A radius on an edge will change the
the product and also takes more time to completewhich leads force distribution and cause the metal to flow over the
to subsequent rejection. A double acting press is thus used to radius and into the die cavity.
circumvent this problem. 2) Clearance in cutting operations is relatively small, usu-
A double acting press is different from a single acting press ally 3% to 8% of sheet metal thickness. In deep drawing
in its operation of blank holder. The blank holder is stationary manufacture, if the clearance is too small the sheet
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may be cut or pierced, (not well), despite the radius.

Clearance in deep drawing manufacture is greater than
sheet thickness, usually clearance values are 107% to
115% of sheet thickness.

Drawing Ratio:
Drawing ratios can help determine the maximum amount of
deep drawing possible. The drawing ratio is roughly calculated
as,
Db Fig. 3. Flange reduction while being drawn [1]
DR = (1)
Dp
where,
Db = Diameter of the blank
Dp = Diameter of the punch

Another way to express drawing ratio is the reduction (r).

Reduction is measured using the same variables as drawing
ratio. Reduction can be calculated by
Db − Dp
r= (2) Fig. 4. Forces acting on flange element [1]
Db
If required percent reduction of sheet metal is over 50%,
the part must be formed in multiple operations. Redrawing
is the subsequent deep drawing of a work that has already
undergone a deep drawing process. By using more than
one operation, a greater magnitude of deep drawing can be
accomplished.

Forces In Deep Drawing Process:

Force used to accomplish a sheet metal deep drawing

operation must be adequate enough to provide for the sheet’s
deformation, enact proper metal flow and overcome friction
Fig. 5. Buckling analogy of the flange element [1]
during the process.The punch and the blank holder will exert
separate forces and force analysis should be done for both
The material under the punch gets forced into the cavity,
pulling material with it, to form the walls of the part. Some-
times in deep drawing an amount of sheet metal material is not As mentioned, the force exerted on the beam is similar
drawn into the die and forms a flange around the completed to the compressing forces acting on the blank’s material.
part. During the ongoing process material from the flange is Reducing the width of the beam is equivalent to reducing the
constantly being forced into the die. During this process more thickness of the sheet metal. The buckling of the beam is
material is being forced into smaller spaces, since the same manifested in the wrinkling of the sheet metal. The thicker
material from the peripheral is moving into a circle of smaller beam has a high enough width to allow for proper metal
diameter. The constriction of space will cause compressing flow. A metal beam of greater width is equivalent to a thicker
forces to act within the material. Tensile forces will also be sheet metal blank. It is now evident that the lower the sheet
present in the flange because of the drawing of the metal into metal thickness the more likely it is to wrinkle during deep
the die. drawing. Wrinkles start in the flange. Once wrinkling starts,
it will continue to propagate. Wrinkles that start in the flange
are pulled. By applying pressure to the surface of the blank,
Compressing forces on material elements in the flange can the blank holder can prevent wrinkling for many parts. The
be related to the analogy of a metal beam in compression, such blank holder would be the equivalent to force applied over
as the one illustrated in the following figure. Now imagine the side of the thinner beam, causing it to compress properly,
decreasing the width of the beam. If the width becomes low rather than buckle.
enough, relative to length, the beam will tend to buckle under
stress.
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stroke, hydraulic motor is used to drive the hydraulic cylinder

and pleasure switch to control the movement of press pad
and punch.

Solenoid valves are widely used on compressed air or

hydraulic fluid for powering actuators on mechanical
components. While motors are used to supply continuous
rotary motion, actuators are typically a better choice for
intermittently creating a limited range of movement for a
mechanical component, such as moving various mechanical
arms, opening or closing valves, raising heavy press rolls,
applying pressure to presses.

Fig. 6. Blank Force action [1]

Control circuits are often drawn using ladder logic, so
named because the wiring diagram resembles a ladder.
Defects In Deep Drawing : First of all base plate is mount on the frame. Base plate is
weld to frame. Then take four pillars and they were situated
Tearing is one of the most common defects. Excessive vertically on the base plate and in they are fitted to the base
thinning in areas of the sheet metal is also an unwanted plate with help of bolt and lock nut.
defect. Causes of these are mostly too high or improper force
distribution and material considerations.
Over that pillar the top plate is situated and it is fixed with
Surface of the blank is important also, gouges, scratches and
the nut and bolt. After that the round plate is welded to the
pits can all cause propagation of cracks. Blank holder force
top plate at its center.
must be sufficient. However, friction between blank holder,
blank and die surfaces will act to resist the movement of
Over that round plate cylinder of 20 tones is fixed with nut
the blank’s material into the die. Thus, excess friction will
and bolt. Which are situated in the holes on the circumference
increase the force the punch exerts to draw the sheet metal.
of the round plate.
Higher punch forces usually cause a tear in the weakest spot,
predominately in the cup wall near the base. For this reason, After this situation of the center cylinder which is used
the blank-holder force must not be too high. Lubrication will for punching operation. Then and edges of top plate square
allow for easier metal flow and more uniformly distributed blocks are welded and over that block cylinder of 2.5 tones
metal strains, due to decreasing friction. [2] is fixed. With the same process that of center cylinder.

III. E XPERIMENTAL S ET- UP

After that piston of cylinder which is of 2.5 tones brought
down and pressure plate is fixed with it at the edges and with
help of square block. In that Allen bolts and nut.
After that c-clamp is situated in the center cylinder piston by
cutting and milling it into that shape. Another part of c-clamp
is assembling top the ejection system which is situated below
the base plate pressure switch is situated on the top plate
for to limit the movement of c-clamp in the upward and
downward direction.

The hydraulic system is brought near the machine and its

pipes and ports are connected to the vales of the cylinder.

There is the system of switches. White switch is for the

downward movement of center piston which acts as the
punch. And black switch is for downward movement of
pressure plate with the help of downward movement of side
pistons.
Fig. 7. Hydraulic Double Acting press in IIST Engineering workshop
Red switch is for upward movement center piston which
Deep Drawing Hydraulic Press Machine Automation plane acts as a punch. Blue switch is for upward movement side
uses hydraulic cylinder for both direction movement and piston which acts move pressure plate.[3]
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IV. P ROCEDURE
Stages in the deformation of the work in deep drawing
processes (Fig is shown in 8):
1) A blank is placed on a die cavity, held in position using
a holding plate or holding ring and pressed against the
die cavity using a solid punch.
2) Lubricant is applied on the blank and faces of the punch
to avoid friction.
3) Punch makes initial contact with work: Now, the
punch slowly moves downward and touches the blank.
4) Bending: As punch moves downward, the flat portion
of the sheet under the holding plate moves towards the
die axis, then bends over the die profile. Fig. 9. The relatively non-wrinkled specimen after the deep drawing through
double acting press
5) Straightening: Punch continues to increase load upto
**** on blank. After bending over the die profile the
sheet unbends to flow downward along the side wall.
The vertical portion of the sheet then slips past the die
surface.
6) Friction and compression: Due to vertical force(Fv ) on
holding plate, portion of the steel under holding plate
undergo compression force and thickening happens due
to friction. Finally, we get a cup like shape. [4]

Fig. 10. The wrinkled specimen after the deep drawing through single acting
press

Fig. 8. Schematic diagram of deep drawing process [1]

V. O BSERVATIONS AND D ISCUSSIONS

A blank of correct dimensions is placed over the draw ring.
Where required, hold-down clamps are lowered onto the blank
and the hold-down pressure varied to control the flow of metal
into the die.
The punch is lowered onto the centre of the blank and pushed
into the die. As the punch moves past the die ring, the metal is
wrapped around the nose of the punch and the outer portions
of the blank move radially inward to form a straight walled
cup.
As the cup is formed, the portion of the blank in contact with Fig. 11. The cracks in the specimen after the deep drawing through single
acting press
the face of the punch remains virtually unchanged. The walls
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of the cup, however, become thicker due to the movement of

excess metal (providing that hold-down pressures are such that
stretching of sidewalls does not occur). The reason for this can
be easily understood if a cylinder were to be formed from a
flat piece of cardboard. In order to form the side walls, notches
would have to be cut in the blank to remove excess material
as illustrated in Fig 13.

Fig. 12. The sheet metal after undergoing deep drawing.

Fig. 13. The effect of the excess metal in a deep drawing metal process. If
when demonstrated with a cardboard paper, the amount of excess metal now
goes in excess which results in wrinkling of the metal.[1]

Therefore, during the drawing process, this excess metal

in the blank is drawn over the draw ring and flows into the
sidewalls, where it results in thickening of the metal as shown
in Fig 12. This causes high contracting forces at the top of
the cylinder which, if metal flow is not controlled, can lead
to problems such as wrinkling Fig 10.
Wrinkling usually starts due to nonuniform movement of the
metal or lack of support in the die ring. Sheet metal drawing is
a more complex operation than cutting or bending operation,
and more things can go wrong during sheet metal drawing.
A number of defects can occur in a sheet metal drawn product.

Tearing is an open crack in the vertical wall, usually near

the base of the drawn cup, due to high tensile stresses that
cause thinning and failure of the metal at this location. This
type of failure can also occur as the metal is pulled over a Fig. 14. The effect of the force in a deep drawing metal process. Tearing is
sharp die corner. Surface scratches can occur on the drawn the main effect caused due to excessive thinning of sheet metal.
part if the punch and die are not smooth or if lubrication is
not sufficient enough as shown in Fig 14
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VI. C ONCLUSION
Deep drawing process is conducted on a stainless steel
specimen and the observations were quite similar to what was
expected.
The various defects possible were discussed briefly in the
previous discussions. Deep drawing process iteration through
trial and error can optimize the manufacturing operation over
time.
Process factors such as amount of reduction, blank shape, cor-
ner radius, or blank holder force may have to be adjusted based
on the results of previous processes. Hence by considering
these parameters into consideration a deep drawing process
where maximum of these defects were minimized, a specimen
was subjected to deep drawing as shown in Fig 15.

Fig. 15. Specimen when subjected to deep drawing with minimum defects

R EFERENCES
[1] Google Images
[2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepd rawing
[3] www.irjet.net/archives/V 5/i5/IRJET − V 5I5183.pdf
[4] M odule8, N P T EL, Lecture1