Effect of Tool Eccentricity on the Joint Strength and Fatigue Strength in Mechanical Clinching Process

   
Effect of Tool Eccentricity on the Joint Strength and Fatigue Strength in Mechanical Clinching Process
Chan-Chin Wang, Heng Keong Kam, Yong-Chai Tan
Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, SEGi University, Malaysia
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
Journal of Engineering & Technological Advances
Vol. 2, Issue 2, pp. 18-34 (2017)
https://doi.org/10.35934/segi.v2i2.18

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Abstract

The effect of tool eccentricity on the joint strength in clinching process was investigated. The objective is to understand the mechanical behaviour of the clinched joint where proper control on the alignment setting of tools can be considered. In this research, a clinching process to form a round joint was carried out by offsetting the centre line between the upper punch and lower die. The experimental results were compared between offset and without offset conditions. The factors which determine the quality of joint strength such as the interlock and the neck thickness obtained from cross section geometry were examined by opening mode and tension-shearing mode tests. Coated mild steel and aluminium alloy sheets were used for the evaluation. It is found that the strength values by offset clinching exhibit variation in sinusoidal relationship with respect to the in-plane offset direction. These values are generally lower by 10-36% for mild steel and 60-70% for aluminium alloy. The fatigue strength of a clinched joint with offset generally 5-10% weajer cinoared to the one without offset.

Keywords:

Mechanical clinching, tool eccentricity, offset clinching, joint strength test.