Digital lecture series for forming technology

In the 2020/21 winter semester the first digital edition of the “Lecture Series Forming Technology” offers application-related reports from industrial practice. They are organized by the IUL in order to promote the direct exchange between academia and industry in teaching and to allow both sides to benefit from the advantages of direct encounter.

First digital lecture delivered from the experimental area at the IUL

On December 17, 2020, the hall lecture at the IUL was held digitally for the first time. This special lecture is held every winter semester as part of the lectures “Fundamentals in Forming Technology” and “Forming Technologies II” in order to provide students with a practical insight into the experimental area. After a short welcome and introduction to the institute by Prof. Tekkaya, the approximately 100 students attending the Zoom meeting were able to participate in a virtual tour through the hall, while at the same time experiments on four experimental stands were streamed live. IUL staff members conducted experiments on parameter identification, rotary draw bending, incremental sheet forming, and adiabatic blanking. The students had the opportunity to ask questions and comment on what they had seen at any time.

DFG approves second funding period of TRR 188
In the SFB / TRR188 “Damage-Controlled Forming Processes”, research on the paradigm shift in forming technology can be continued until 2024.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has decided to continue funding the Collaborative Research Center Transregio (TRR) 188. For the second funding period until the end of 2024, 11.4 million euros were approved. As initiator and spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center, Prof. A. E. Tekkaya will regularly hand over the management to Prof. G. Hirt from the IBF at RWTH Aachen University starting from January 2021. Other institutions involved in the second funding period are the “Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung” in Düsseldorf and the Institute for Applied Materials – Section “Materials and Biomechanics” at KIT in Karlsruhe.

Internal material damage occurs when metal is formed. Under the guiding principle that damage is controllable and not a failure, the CRC/TRR 188 investigates how this affects the product properties. Within the interdisciplinary cooperation between forming technology, materials science, materials testing technology, and mechanics, it is be shown that the product design does not have to take the nominal properties into account, but the actual production-induced product properties, including damage. The aim is to indicate the degree of damage to a component quantitatively, to control it, and to specifically adjust it along the process chain. This enables the manufacture of innovative lightweight products with tailored and guaranteed performance.

CRC/TRR 188

Keynote Speech and Article “Damage in Metal Forming”

Together with Pierre-Olivier Bouchard (MINES ParisTech, France), Stefania Bruschi (University of Padova, Italy) and Cem Tasan (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA), A. Erman Tekkaya published the keynote paper “Damage in Metal Forming” in the CIRP Annals. The content was significantly influenced by the findings obtained in TRR 188. The presentation is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WD1SLvLE0.

Article in "Mechanics Research Communications"

This paper presents and validates a new simple mechanical model that allows a predictive estimation of the forming history for innovative high-speed forming processes. In particular, this model allows the evaluation of different pulse loads and material models within seconds without the need for complex finite element simulations.

Hahn, M., Tekkaya, A. E., 2020. A quick model for demonstrating high speed forming capabilities. Mechanics Research Communications (108), 103579.

Contact: Marlon Hahn, M. Sc., Head of Department Non-Conventional Processes

New Project on Press Hardening

Process steps of press hardening: a) rapid conductive heating, b) forming and hardening by tool cooling

On September 1, 2020, the joint project "Analysis of the application potential of roll-clad MnB-Cr steel composites for press hardening", jointly proposed by the IUL and the IBF of RWTH Aachen University and funded by the DFG, started. The project investigates the improvement potential of the press hardening process by the use of roll-clad steel composites. The use of corrosion-resistant stainless steel cover layers should allow high heating rates and short holding times, which are not possible with currently used materials. In addition to the time savings achieved by a faster heating strategy, the project will investigate the possibility of producing load-adapted lightweight components by varying the layer ratios of core and cover layers.

Contact: Markus Stennei M. Sc.

Current Open Source Publication Shows Possibilities of Lightweight Components in Forming Technology

Components that can be produced by forming processes, taking into account lightweight components in automotive engineering

A current open source publication in the Springer Journal "Automotive Innovation" entitled "Lightweight in Automotive Components by Forming Technology" provides an overview of the possibilities in forming technology regarding lightweight components using the example of automotive components. The article focuses on research projects already carried out as well as ongoing at the IUL and uses the example of the electric car and the conventional car with combustion engine to demonstrate the wide range of forming processes that are possible to produce lightweight components. The article is freely available online at Springer: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42154-020-00103-3.

Contact: Dr.-Ing. Till Clausmeyer, Chief Engineer research

New Project on Torsion Test

Schematic structure of the in-plane torsion test

On July 1, 2020, the project "Preparation of a test specification for the in-plane torsion test", funded by the BMWi and AiF/FOSTA, started. Within the project, a virtual kick-off meeting with project partners from automotive engineering, steel production and metrology took place on July 21, 2020. The research project aims to achieve a widespread industrial use of the in-plane torsion test by standardizing the test procedure and the preparation of a test specification. For this purpose, the IUL is investigating the influences of various process parameters as well as the influence of specimen production and geometry on the test results and, on the basis of these, is defining suitable test conditions for a standardized test sequence.

Contact: Fabian Stiebert M. Sc.

New Project on Forming of Hybrid Metal-Plastic Compounds by Joining

As part of the joint project AutoFit (Automated assembly and non-destructive testing of pipe-fitting joints) the IUL is investigating the forming of joint hybrid metal-plastic compounds for fuel lines in aircraft construction. In addition to the different material behavior of the join partners, this novel set of requirements including fluid density, electrical conductivity and resistance against high acceleration forces during flight operations can be considered a central challenge. In the project both working media and active energy-based joining processes are used for this purpose.This project has been running since July 1, 2020, and it is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Contact: Florian Weber M. Sc.

IUL congratulates MMT student on scholarship from the Industrieverband Massivumformung e. V.

As part of the promotion of young talents by the Industrieverband Massivumformung e. V. (IMU) Mr. Tanmoy Rakshit was awarded a scholarship on 17 June 2020. Due to current restrictions, the ceremonial awarding of the scholarship will be postponed until next year’s annual conference. Prof. Tekkaya expresses his delight and gratitude to the Industrieverband and congratulates the scholarship holder he had nominated.

Mr. Rakshit writes his master’s thesis on the development of damage during rotary swaging of monobloc tubular shafts in cooperation with GKN Driveline, a member company of the IMU, at the Institute of Forming Technology and Lightweight Components. The IUL congratulates Mr. Rakshit on this fantastic success.