24th International Colloquium Tribology - January 2024 269 Correct Lubricant Selection for Metal Forming Dr. Richard Baker 1* , Dr. Dirk Drees 2 1 TriboTonic Limited, London, UK 2 Falex Tribology, Leuven, Belgium * Corresponding author: E-mail (optional) 1. Introduction Metal forming is one of the important manufacturing processes and is split into 3 main types - sheet metal forming, bulk metal forming and sheet-bulk metal forming. Some popular metal forming processes including forging, rolling, wire drawing, extrusion, deep drawing, and bending. List and number all bibliographical references at the end of the paper. When referring to them in the text, place the reference number in square brackets [1] as presented below. 1.1 Metal Forming Lubricatn Selection In metal forming (cold or hot), a localized compressive force is applied on the workpiece through a forming tool. This force leads to generating high contact pressures at the workpiece/ tool interface and as a result the workpiece is deformed to deliver a desired shape and surface of the product. In this deformation process, high shear stresses are developed with an increase in local temperature due to both the frictional effect and plastic strain. A lubricant is typically used to control the friction at workpiece/ tool interface to help cool down the tool to avoid overheating and a drop in hardness. This leads to a very careful balance between friction and heat dissipation and in today’s energy driven environment, the systems efficiency is an ever important factor. 1.1.1 Types of Lubricants Metal Working fluids are usually categorised into the following 4 main types: • Water-based or soluble oils • Oil-based lubricants • Synthetic and semisynthetic • Solid lubricants Investigation into the effect of different lubricant formulations on friction have been carried out on various tribology test equipment including the Falex Pin & Vee and MCTT instruments - shown in figures 1 and 2. These have been based on industry used metal working fluids and give an insight into the effect of lubricant on friction and life expectancy f both the metal forming tool and the efficiency of the drawn metal test piece. 2. Conclusion Metal forming requires complicated environmentally friendly lubricants to help ensure smooth operation of the tools. Wear of the tool (or counter-face) must be kept to a minimum to ensure accurate products. Lubricants can help speed up the production process which can lead to a cost reduction. It has been shown that we can adapt existing lab instruments to match the application and hence deliver a saving tot he industry. Figure 1 - Falex Pin & Vee instrument - used extensively for looking at metal working fluids Figure 2 - Falex MCTT Instrument - adapted to look at the effect of lubricants on metal forming