Topology Optimization and Lightweight Design of Stamping Dies for Forming Automobile Panels

The accurate prediction of deformation and stress distribution on the stamping die components is critical to guarantee structure reliability and lightweight design. This work aims to propose a new method based on numerical simulation for predicting die structural behaviors and reducing total weight. The sheet metal forming simulation was firstly conducted to obtain the accurate forming contact force during stamping process. The linear static structural analysis with different load cases was then performed to investigate the deformation and stress distribution on die structure. Topology optimization was employed to realize lightweight design while ensuring structural safety. Redesign process for die structures was conducted according to both manufacturing techniques and initial optimized results to guarantee the manufacturability of new structures. The proposed methodology has several advantages of decreasing model scale, precluding intricate contact condition settings as well as time-saving. A long beam stamping die used for forming automobile panels was selected to validate the proposed methodology, and around 18% weight reduction was achieved.

Research on High-Speed Cutting of Cr12MoV Hardened Steel - A Review

: Cr12MoV hardened steel is widely used in the manufacturing of stamping die because of its high strength, high hardness, and good wear resistance. As a kind of mainstream cutting technology, high-speed machining has been applied in the machining of Cr12MoV hardened steel. Based on the review of a large number of literature, the development of high-speed machining of Cr12MoV hardened steel was summarized, including the research status of the saw-tooth chip, cutting force, cutting temperature, tool wear, machined surface quality, and parameters optimization. The problems that exist in the current research were discussed and the directions of future research were pointed out. It can promote the development of high-speed machining of Cr12MoV hardened steel.

Heterogeneous Material Additive Manufacturing for Hot-Stamping Die

Additive manufacturing (AM) has recently been receiving global attention. As an innovative alternative to existing manufacturing technologies, AM can produce three-dimensional objects from various materials. In the manufacturing industry, AM improves production cost, time, and quality in comparison to existing methods. In addition, AM is applied in the fabrication and production of objects in diverse fields. In particular, metal AM has been continuously commercialized in high value-added industries such as aerospace and health care by many research and development projects. However, the applicability of metal AM to the mold and die industry and other low value-added industries is limited because AM is not as economical as current manufacturing technologies. Therefore, this paper proposes an effective solution to the problem. This study examines a method for using direct energy deposition and heterogeneous materials, a heterogeneous material additive-manufacturing process for metals used to optimize the cooling channels and a key process in manufacturing hot-stamping dies. The improvements in the cooling performances and uniform cooling were evaluated by heat-flow analysis in a continuous process. Finally, trial products were fabricated using the proposed method, and a trial for hot stamping was conducted to examine the possibility of it being used in commercial applications.

Strain Measurements by Full-Field Optical Techniques

A weak position and possibly leads to make a defected material and production. Localized strain concentration is becoming very important in the area of quality assurance. Recently, there are many research that researcher proposed using Computer-Aided-Engineering (CAE) tools to reduce the number of prototype builds and to speed up the development cycle. In this paper, there are some literature about researches that conducted in this field. The capabilities as well as the limitations for industrial applications are investigated. An application of this method is demonstrated on a stamping die to validate a FEM results. Full-field methods of strain measurements are very broad and many number of these techniques are using and can be widely categorized to two groups as Geometrical methods and Interferometric methods.

Structural Design of an Auto Panel Die Component Based on the Contact Pressure Using Topology Optimization

The main motivation in stamping die industry and academia is panel quality and formability issues rather than the weight and cost of the die. A product should be designed according to the loads that it can be faced in service condition. But somehow this rule is not valid for stamping die design since the minimum distance between the ribs is based on the standards and location and pattern of the ribs which are depending primarily on the company experience. In this work, an auto panel drawing die design is investigated numerically whether it is overdesigned or not. The loads on the die surfaces are calculated by numerical methods. When a panel is drawn between upper and lower die, the contact pressure (CP) occurs on the interface surfaces due to this interaction. Since CP is a vital parameter and it is almost impossible to measure it by experimental methods, it is validated by two different numerical codes. The CP values obtained from Autoform® quasi-static solution are compared with Abaqus® transient forming analysis solution. Topology optimization is applied on the lower die by using the estimated CP loads. Von-Mises stress, elastic deformation and volume are compared between current and optimized die geometry. Panel thickness variation is also investigated in longitudinal and transverse directions.