Wear of PVD coated tools for joining by clinching method

Clinching is a joining method in which sheet metal parts are deformed locally by creating a mechanical interlock without the use of any additional elements such as screws or rivets. Steel sheets are plastically deformed and the shape of the tools remains theoretically unchanged during the clinching process. The clinching tool with a rigid die of ø5 mm with a specially formed gap and a punch of ø3.6 mm were used for mechanical joining of hot-dip galvanized dual-phase steel sheets HCT600X of 0.8 mm thickness. The punch and die were deposited by PVD coating of CrN and TiCN type with LARC technology. The state of the coating was evaluated and documented by scanning electron microscopy – SEM. The wear of the coating was evaluated after each 50 manufactured joints starting with the initial state of tool.