Generation of super smooth surface in compression of aluminum

Abstract

In order to obtain fundamental information about generation of super smooth surface in metal forming, a simple compression test of aluminum strips is carried out. The tool and specimen surfaces are observed on the nanometer scale by atomic force microscope (AFM). It is found that the specimen surface asperities are smoothed to the almost same surface roughness as the tool on the nanometer scale at about 20% compressive strain. The maximum height in scanning range 20×20 μm² and 500×500 nm² are attained to 8 nm and 1 nm at the smoothest position of the specimen profiles, respectively. The tool and specimen surfaces are examined by the power spectrum method and the zeroset method of fractal analysis.