Design and Performance Evaluation of Tooling Systems for Complex Shape Metal Forming

This paper provides an in-depth research plan for tooling system design and an analysis of performance during the manufacture of complex-shaped metals. A manufacturing strategy, which involves computer-aided design, precision machining and some selective heat treatment steps, was built along the way to forge the tooling that could deliver such a notable-shaped extrusion. The tooling system included a split-block container assembly, shaped dies, and a forming punch that was made out of plain carbon steel and the wear-critical surfaces were selectively hardened. The design methodology successfully achieved dimensional tolerances within ±0.025 mm across all critical features, with CNC machining producing geometric accuracy within ±0.015 mm of design specifications. Surface finish requirements were maintained between 0.8-1.2 μm on tooling surfaces, enabling smooth material flow and high-quality product formation. Heat treatment protocols achieved target hardness values of HRC 46-49 on critical components while maintaining manufacturing flexibility for non-critical areas. Performance evaluation demonstrated exceptional dimensional accuracy with cross-sectional area consistency within ±2.3% for 'E' shapes and ±1.8% for 'X' shapes. Wall thickness uniformity was maintained within ±0.025 mm, confirming effective material flow control. Surface quality assessment revealed product finish values of 1.2-1.8 μm with 100% profile filling achieved under normal operating conditions. Durability testing over 500 forming cycles showed minimal wear progression with a maximum measured wear of 0.003 mm on critical surfaces. The systematic design process could offer a roadmap that is used to generate precision tooling systems to meet performance and manufacturing limitations and economic factors to give a real guideline on industrial applications of complicated shape forming processes.