Abstract
The existing joining by forming technologies all have limitations in the connection of metallic sheets with large differences in thickness and mechanical properties. This paper developed a new clinching method called flat hole-clinching (FHC) that is suitable for assembling two layers of sheets with dissimilar (as well as similar) materials and thicknesses without protrusion at the joints. The method utilizes a simple punch to force the material of one plate (the upper plate) to flow into the cavity of a specially prepared hole on another plate (the lower plate), forming an interlocked structure. Al 6063 and AZ31 plates with thicknesses of 0.8 and 1.0 mm, respectively, were employed in the experiment and numerical simulation to examine the impact of tool and hole geometries, material properties, and relative thicknesses on joints. Inverted conical holes were used as the precut hole. The results confirmed that various combinations of sheets can be connected reliably by FHC, with even higher joining strengths in comparison to conventional clinching. Besides the diameter d H of the precut hole, hole conicity β and punch diameter d p were found to have a significant influence on the strength according to the results of the response surface analysis (RSA). The suitable β-value is about 25 degrees in this case.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Groche P, Wohletz S, Brenneis M, Pabst C, Resch F (2014) Joining by forming—a review on joint mechanisms, applications and future trends. J Mater Process Technol 214(10):1972–1994
Mori K, Bay N, Fratini L, Micari F, Tekkaya AE (2013) Joining by plastic deformation. CIRP Ann — Manuf Technol 62(2):673–694
Mori K, Abe Y, Kato T (2012) Mechanism of superiority of fatigue strength for aluminium alloy sheets joined by mechanical clinching and self-pierce riveting. J Mater Process Technol 212(9):1900–1905
Lambiase F (2013) Influence of process parameters in mechanical clinching with extensible dies. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 66(9–12):2123–2131
Varis J (2006) Ensuring the integrity in clinching process. J Mater Process Technol 174(1–3):277–285
Varis J (2006) Economics of clinching joint compared to riveted joint and example of applying calculations to a volume product. J Mater Process Technol 172(1):130–138
Saberi S, Enzinger N, Vallant R, Cerjak H, Hinterdorfer J, Rauch R (2008) Influence of plastic anisotropy on the mechanical behavior of clinched joint of different coated thin steel sheets. Int J Mater Form 1(s1):273–276
Jiang T, Liu ZX, Wang PC (2014) Quality inspection of clinched joints of steel and aluminum. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 76(5–8):1393–1402
Neugebauer R, Todtermuschke M, Mauermann R, Riedel F (2008) Overview on the state of development and the application potential of dieless mechanical joining processes. Archive Civil Mech Eng 8(4):51–60
Gerstmann T, Awiszus B (2014) Recent developments in flat-clinching. Comp Mater Sci 81:39–44
Wen T, Wang H, Yang C, Liu L (2014) On a reshaping method of clinched joints to reduce the protrusion height. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 71(9–12):1709–1715
Abe Y, Kato T, Mori K, Nishino S (2014) Mechanical clinching of ultra-high strength steel sheets and strength of joints. J Mater Process Technol 214(10):2112–2118
Abe Y, Mori K, Kato T (2012) Joining of high strength steel and aluminium alloy sheets by mechanical clinching with dies for control of metal flow. J Mater Process Technol 212(4):884–889
Lee CJ, Kim JY, Lee SK, Ko DC, Kim BM (2010) Parametric study on mechanical clinching process for joining aluminum alloy and high-strength steel sheets. J Mech Sci Technol 24(1):123–126
Neugebauer R, Kraus C, Dietrich S (2008) Advances in mechanical joining of magnesium. CIRP Ann - Manuf Technol 57(1):283–286
Neugebauer R, Mauermann R, Dietrich S, Kraus C (2007) A new technology for the joining by forming of magnesium alloys. Prod Eng 1(1):65–70
Eshtayeh MM, Hrairi M, Mohiuddin AKM (2015) Clinching process for joining dissimilar materials: state of the art. Int J Adv Manuf Technol. doi:10.1007/s00170-015-7363-0
Busse S, Merklein M, Roll K, Ruther M, Zurn M (2010) Development of a mechanical joining process for automotive body-in-white production. Int J Mater Form 3(s1):1059–1062
Lee CJ, Lee JM, Ryu HY, Lee KH, Kim BM, Ko DC (2014) Design of hole-clinching process for joining of dissimilar materials–Al6063-T4 alloy with DP780 steel, hot-pressed 22MnB5 steel, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic. J Mater Process Technol 214(10):2169–2178
Lee CJ, Lee SH, Lee JM, Kim BH, Kim BM, Ko DC (2014) Design of hole-clinching process for joining CFRP and aluminum alloy sheet. Int J Precis Eng Man 15(6):1151–1157
Lee SH, Lee CJ, Kim BH, Ahn MS, Kim BM, Ko DC (2014) Effect of tool shape on hole clinching for CFRP with steel and aluminum alloy sheet. Key Eng Mater 622–623:476–483
He XC (2010) Recent development in finite element analysis of clinched joints. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 48(5–8):607–612
He XC, Liu FL, Xing BY, Yang HY, Wang YQ, Gu FS, Ball A (2014) Numerical and experimental investigations of extensible die clinching. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 74(9–12):1229–1236
Coppieters S, Cooreman S, Lava P, Sol H, Houtte PV, Debruyne D (2011) Reproducing the experimental pull-out and shear strength of clinched sheet metal connections using FEA. Int J Mater Form 4(4):429–440
Coppieters S, Lava P, Baes S, Sol H, Van Houtte PV, Debruyne D (2012) Analytical method to predict the pull-out strength of clinched connections. Thin Wall Struct 52:42–52
Varis JP, Lepisto J (2003) A simple testing-based procedure and simulation of the clinching process using finite element analysis for establishing clinching parameters. Thin Wall Struct 41(8):691–709
De Paula AA, Aguilar MTP, Pertence AEM, Cetlin PR (2007) Finite element simulations of the clinch joining of metallic sheets. J Mater Process Technol 182(1–3):352–357
Oudjene M, Ben-Ayed L (2008) On the parametrical study of clinch joining of metallic sheets using the Taguchi method. Eng Struct 30(6):1782–1788
Oudjene M, Ben-Ayed L, Delameziere A, Batoz JL (2009) Shape optimization of clinching tools using the response surface methodology with Moving Least-Square approximation. J Mater Process Technol 209(1):289–296
Montgomery DC (2012) Design and analysis of experiments, 8th edn. John Wiley & Sons, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wen, T., Huang, Q., Liu, Q. et al. Joining different metallic sheets without protrusion by flat hole clinching process. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 85, 217–225 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-7936-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-7936-y