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The tool surface topography is often a key parameter in the tribological performance of modern metal forming tools. A new generation of multifunctional surfaces is achieved by combination of conventional tool manufacturing processes with a novel Robot Assisted Polishing process. This novel surface texturing method allows for a large degree of freedom in specifying surface characteristics and facilitates a high degree of reproducibility between samples surfaces. A series of strip reduction tests, equivalent to a metal forming ironing process, are conducted to benchmark the tribological performance of 15 generated tool surfaces.

The industrial demand for micro mechanical components has surged in the later years with the constant introduction of more integrated products. The micro bulk forming process holds a promising pledge of delivering high quality micro mechanical components at low cost and high production rates. This work describes a number of prototype system units, which collectively form a desktop sized micro forming production system. The system includes a billet preparation module, an integrated transfer system, a temperature controlled forming tool, including process simulation, and a dedicated micro forming press. The system is demonstrated on an advanced micro forming case where a dental component is formed in medical grade Titanium.

A novel artefact for calibration of the height in 3D microscopy is presented. The artefact comprises three steps having a common vertical axis, which allows z-coordinate calibration at different magnifications without requiring repositioning. The artefact is suitable for transferring traceability to 3D techniques at the micrometer and nanometer scale, e.g. 3D SEM, confocal microscopes etc. Two different series of samples were fabricated using EDM with three steps of 2–5–7 μm, and 20–50–70 μm, respectively, from a 3 mm diameter carbide wire. The artefact steps were calibrated on a stylus instrument according to ISO 5436 and measured on 3D microscopes.

Bulk metallic glasses have enormous potential for use in small-scale devices such as MEMS and biomedical components. Thermoplastic forging of free standing components poses challenges unlike those seen when forging crystalline materials. Central to these challenges is the simultaneous advantage/disadvantage that BMGs flow readily into small features and asperities in the dies and molds. Whilst useful for replicating patterned surfaces, this quite often makes non-destructive removal of components quite difficult, with disproportionate extraction forces and specialized tools required to overcome friction and mechanical locking. Several solutions to this extraction problem were explored, including high temperature extraction, lubrication and the use of materials with low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) as die/mold materials. We show that the use of appropriately chosen low CTE die materials offers a superior method to remove BMG components from dies/molds at room temperature. The criteria for selecting the appropriate die material, cavity size and extraction temperatures are outlined.