Friction related size-effect in microforming – a review

This paper presents a thorough literature review of the size effects of friction in microforming. During miniaturization, the size effects of friction occur clearly. The paper first introduces experimental research progress on size effects of friction in both micro bulk and sheet forming. The effects of several parameters are discussed. Based on the experimental results, several approaches have been performed to develop a model or functions to analyse the mechanism of size effects of friction, and simulate the micro deep drawing process by integrating them into an FE program. Following this, surface modification, e.g. a DLC film and a micro structure/textured surface, as a method to reduce friction are presented. Finally, the outlook for the size effect of friction in the future is assessed, based on the understanding of the current research progress.