Investigations on the applicability of chemically deposited Ni-shell tools for deep-drawing processes

The paper introduces the results of an EFB (European Research Association for Sheet Metal Working) research project concerning the applicability of tools made of chemically deposited nickel shells with polymer supports for small and medium scale deep drawing production. Several investigations of the material behaviour and tribological response of the chemically deposited nickel shells were performed together with numerical analyses of the deep-drawing process in order to optimize the tools under the consideration of the specific characteristics of the nickel shell and the polymer support structure. Finally, an optimized tool prototype has been manufactured and tested in order to verify the design solutions under service conditions.