Abstract
A novel design for a machine intended to measure directly various in‐plane and contact normal forces acting upon a sheet metal specimen during a stretch‐bend‐draw process is proposed, in order to gain insight into the formation of skid line defects in sheet metal. The new machine, called a Stretch‐Bend‐Draw Simulator (SBDS) is designed specifically to be integrated into a typical laboratory tensile testing machine, thereby making it accessible to those researchers lacking the resources to acquire expensive additional tooling. As the strip of sheet metal is pulled over a round tool radius, the SBDS is shown to be capable of collecting pulling force, back force, tool normal force, and the corresponding draw bead clamping force. Analysis of the force data in conjunction with visual observations of the actual pulled specimens allows researchers to ascertain the conditions under which so‐called skid lines arise. Experimental results, including a newly unveiled Skid Line Limit Diagram (SLLD), are provided and discussed. The SBDS appears to be a promising new electro‐mechanical laboratory device for improving researchers’ knowledge of the physical phenomena associated with skid lines in sheet metal products created in stamping dies.