Deep drawing punches produced using fused filament fabrication technology: Performance evaluation

Currently, manufacturing industries require parts-production characterized by low volume and high customization, making conventional processes such as sheet stamping expensive due to the initial investment required for tooling production. Additive manufacturing, thanks to its flexibility for customized production and low cost, is becoming a valid alternative for rapid tooling fabrication. In this study, we investigated the benefits of using fused filament fabrication (FFF) to produce punches for the deep drawing process. Different process parameters were analyzed, such as the punch fillet radius, blank material, drawing ratio, and drawing depth. The best results were achieved by drawing aluminum blanks with a drawing ratio of 1.8.