Miniaturization in sheet metal working

Miniaturization of sheet metal working processes causes changes in the relative contribution of relevant process parameters. As a result, so-called second-order size effects occur. The present paper should give a survey of different kinds of second-order size effects that can be expected in tensile testing, air bending and punching of sheet metal. These size effects show to be commensurable when the process conditions are similar to a certain amount, as it is the case for tensile testing and air bending. However, they change or even diminish when the process conditions are very different, as for example in punching. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.