Steel maker Corus has developed what it claims is a new and unique technology called ‘In-Form’ that applies computer aided engineering (CAE) simulation techniques to help optimise the set-up of automotive press shop processes.
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Following extensive trials, In-Form has demonstrated that it can help vehicle makers improve ‘manufacturability’ and quality of complex stamped body panels thereby significantly reducing press shop set-up lead-times, Corus claimed.
With the growing use of high-tech steels in today’s automotive press shops, it is increasingly important for carmakers to better understand how steel blanks will deform and flow as they are pressed. This is particularly important for large and complicated components such as body sides. The traditional press shop set-up approach relies on practical iterations in fine-tuning of both blanks and tooling, frequently meaning many wasted trial parts until the process is optimised, which is both time consuming and costly.
Working closely with its customers, Corus engineers based at the company’s RD&T (research, development and technology) facility in Ijmuiden, realised that there was an opportunity to help OEMs find the right balance between reducing press shop development time whilst still maintaining quality. The resulting In-Form technology uses a laser device to scan and capture the 3D surface of the part or stamping tool needed to generate a physical geometry, which is then fed into a forming simulation model for optimisation or evaluation.
Importantly, using this process ensures that the steelmaker and customer engineers always have current geometry of the tool for modelling and evaluation rather than initial and potentially out-of-date CAD drawings.
Using these new tools, engineers can now analyse different tool/material variations of press shop parameters in a much faster way, thereby significantly reducing lead-time development and costs. A key factor enabling a speedy response is that the hardware and software to run In-Form is portable, allowing steel maker engineers to work with vehicle manufacturers on site, thus further saving valuable press tool set-up time.
