Comparative study of die materials for hot aluminium forming using an autonomous tribological testing system

This study examines the tribological characteristics of different die materials for hot aluminium forming processes using an autonomous testing system.Four die materials -P20, CR7V, UH1, and RPU -were tested against AA6111 aluminium alloy blanks at elevated temperatures of 300 C and 350 C, with lubricant applied to the blank surface prior to each sliding cycle.The investigation incorporates both single-cycle friction behaviour and multi-cycle analysis to simulate industrial forming conditions, using an advanced robotic testing system for consistent and repeatable measurements.A comprehensive analysis of the coefficient of friction evolution during continuous sliding and across multiple cycles was conducted to understand the tribological behaviour under various temperature conditions.The study aims to establish quantitative relationships between die materials, temperature, and friction characteristics for hot forming applications, providing reference data for industrial die material selection.