forming copper dry

[Tmoose]

We need to form a few hundred shallow (0.16 inch) dishes in copper sheets. A craftsman made an aluminum die set to successfully clamp and form 7 dishes in the first sheet.
It must be done dry to avoid bonding and vacuum chamber problems.

The question is what process/coating/material we should apply to the die to keep from wearing aluminum?
Would anodizing or chroming the dies be of any value?

 

[Goahead]

As aluminum oxide is much harder than aluminum, it stand to reason that anodizing should provide wear resistance.
Hard anodizing may be even preferable if there is no danger of spalling. Notice that both processes produce a slight growth affecting dimensions.

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