Influences of friction condition and end shape of billet on convex at root of spline by rolling with round dies

The rolling process is widely used to manufacture high-performance splined shaft components. However, there is a convex at root on free end of spline formed by rolling with round dies. However, the analysis and representation of this forming problem are difficulty due to the complexity of motion and multiplicity of processing parameters. This paper concentrates on the corner filling problem, and a physical analog experiment was designed to investigate the problem. The physical experimental results indicated that the designed experiment can reflect the formation of convex during spline rolling process. The finite element analysis of the physical analog experiment process was carried out to study the influences of friction condition and end shape of billet on convex at root of rolled spline. The results indicated that the height of convex will be reduced with increasing friction condition; the height of convex can be reduced by optimizing the end shape of billet. The results of present study provide a basis for optimizing and controlling the forming quality on free end during spline rolling process.