Friction tests in tube hydroforming

The objective of this paper is to propose a friction test method to evaluate the performance of different kinds of lubricants and determine their coefficients of friction in tube hydroforming processes. A self-designed apparatus is used to conduct the experiments of friction tests. The coefficient of friction between the tube and the die at the guiding zone is determined. The effects of the internal pressure and the axial feeding velocity on the friction forces and coefficients of friction for various lubricants are discussed. From the experimental results, it is known that MoS2 corresponding to a coefficient of friction of 0.018 is the best lubricant among the evaluated lubricants during tube hydroforming processes.