The Value of Mass Benchmarking
Product benchmarking is the process of measuring and analyzing the performance of competitive products. Data from a benchmarking analysis is used at the early stages of product development where performance targets are being set for a new vehicle. As an example of...
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Advanced Steel Processing Technologies
Advanced Steel Processing Technologies For Reduced Cost, Reduced Mass and Improved Functional Performance Laser (Tailor) Welded Blanks A laser welded blank is two or more sheets of steel seam-welded together into a single blank which is then stamped into a part. Laser...
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Tool Wear, Clearances and Burr Height
The diverse microstructures and strength levels of AHSS products present some challenges for stamping operations. Cutting and punching clearances are greater for AHSS, and as a general rule, should be increased with increasing sheet material strength. The clearances...
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Tool Materials and Die Wear
Die wear is affected by, but not limited to, steel strength and surface friction, contact pressure, sliding velocity, temperature, die surface treatment and lubrication. As the material strength and hardness is increased, an increase in die wear occurs which leads to...
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Case Study for Press Energy
The following study is a computerized analysis of the energy required to form a cross member with a hat-profile and a bottom embossment at the end of the stroke (Figure 1). Energy requirements increase with punch displacement, as shown in Figure 2, here energy...
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Press Requirements: Servo Presses
Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) forming challenges can lead to issues with the precision of part formation and stamping line productivity. The stamping industry is developing more advanced die designs as well as advanced manufacturing techniques to help reduce...
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AHSS Energy, Heat and Lubrication
Lubrication is an important input to almost every sheet metal forming operation. The lubricants have the following interactions with the forming process: 1. Control metal flow from the binder. 2. Redistribute strains over the punch. 3. Maximize/minimize the growth of...
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Effect of Friction and Lubrication in Sheet Metal Stamping
Friction and lubrication are important factors when trying to accurately simulate Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) metal forming processes. In this blog post Dr. Johan Hol, Development Manager from TriboForm Engineering, describes frictional influences that are...
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Advanced High-Strength Steel Repairability
Contributed by David W. Anderson, Senior Director, Automotive Market and Long Products Program, Steel Market Development Institute, USA Introduction The introduction of Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) to light vehicle body...
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Five Things To Look for in an Automotive LCA
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) continues to gain traction as the preferred method for assessing the environmental impacts of a product, and we are seeing more and more automotive LCA studies, and claims or conclusions based on LCA, being published. Here are five things...
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Life Cycle Assessment: Why is it Important?
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and particularly vehicle product life cycle assessment, is a topic we are very passionate about here at WorldAutoSteel. So much so that we focus on LCA intensively for the entire month of October across all of our communications channels....
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Hot Forming Process: Direct and Indirect
As promised, in this blog we’ll review the Direct and Indirect Hot Forming processes. The goal of hot-forming is to achieve complex geometries and part consolidation at strength levels previously unimaginable, while minimizing springback and distortion. While several...
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