Experimental investigation of the lateral forces during shear cutting with an open cutting line

Shear cutting is an essential part of the sheet metal manufacturing processes. Almost every metal component produced from sheets or stripes is subjected to a shearing process. During shear cutting with an open cutting line, the lateral component of the cutting force enlarges the die clearance according to the tool's stiffness. As a result, the tool life and part quality are likely to decrease. To date, neither the amount nor the course of the lateral force has been analyzed in detail. Especially the reduced tool stiffness in most measuring concepts, caused by the sensor integration, leads to a die clearance variation which alters the measured results. Thus, an extremely stiff measuring concept was developed and integrated in a shear cutting tool. Therefore, we can assume that the sensor integration does not influence the shear cutting process. This novel concept allows to measure the lateral force separately from the normal component of the cutting force for an open cut. Following, shear cutting experiments were performed utilizing the thermo-mechanically rolled, microalloyed bainitic steel grade SZBS800. Finally, distinctive phases of the measured cutting and lateral force curves are discussed in detail. These results contribute to a better understanding of the shear cutting process and enables designing the tool's stiffness for an open cut appropriate to the lateral forces.