A Response Surface Methodology Approach to Develop a Multiphysics Simulation Model of a Tensile Friction Test

High Strength Steels (HSS) are widely used in the automotive industry to reduce the vehicle’s weight and improve fuel efficiency. The press hardening process is used, for instance, to form and harden low-alloyed steel simultaneously. A deep understanding of the interfacial phenomena and the friction behavior at high temperatures is significant in describing the process, especially when considering Finite Elements (FE) analysis. In this paper, the results of a series of tensile friction tests carried out with aluminum-silicon coated low alloyed steel 22MnB5 for different values of drawing speed, temperature, and die pressure are investigated. All tests were conducted by a special test rig designed by the authors. Following the Surface Response Methodology approach, a Central Composite Design was used to identify the best fitting friction model that approximates the friction coefficient behavior depending on the main testing parameters. The identified model can explain up to 88% of the variability of the response variable and predict the friction coefficient with acceptable error. In conclusion, a FE multi-physical model of the tensile friction test, which combines a structural and a thermal analysis, was created and validated by LS Dyna software simulations.