Effect of the test conditions on tribological behavior of an Nb-stabilized AISI 430 stainless steel sheet

This study investigated the effect of test conditions on the tribological behavior of an Nb-stabilized AISI 430 stainless steel sheet. A tribo-simulator to study sheet metal forming was used in the execution of two friction tests: bending under tension (BUT) test and strip-tension test (STT). Furthermore, the coefficient of friction (COF) was calculated to evaluate the effect of relative elongation, surface roughness of the carbide tool (WC-12%Co), sheet orientation, and lubrication conditions during the friction tests. A comparative analysis of the results revealed that the COF exhibited a strong dependence on the test conditions, increasing with an increase in relative elongation in both the friction tests and lubrication conditions. Furthermore, the COF was higher in the BUT test compared with the STT test under both lubrication conditions. A more linear relationship between the measured COF and relative elongation was obtained in the STT test. Additionally, the pin roughness and sheet orientation influenced the friction behavior of the tribosurfaces. The greater efficiency of lubrication was registered for small values of relative elongation and in the STT test.