Effect of rubber forming process parameters on channel depth of metallic bipolar plates

In this study, bipolar plates in fuel cells are formed using rubber forming process. The effects of important parameters in rubber forming such as hardness and thickness of rubber pad, speed and pressure of punch that compress blank, and physical property of materials on the channel depth were analyzed. In the soft material sheet Al1050, deeper channels are formed than in materials STS304 and Ti-G5. Formed channel depth was increased when hardness of rubber pad was lower, thickness of rubber pad was high, and speed and pressure of punch were high. It was found the deepest channel was achieved when forming process condition was set with punch speed and pressure at 30 mm/s and 55 MPa, respectively using rubber pad having hardness Shore A 20 and thickness 60 mm. The channel depths of bipolar plates formed with Al1050, STS304 and Ti-G5 under the above process condition were 0.453, 0.307, and 0.270 mm, respectively. There were no defects such as wrinkle, distortion, and crack found from formed bipolar plates.