Lecture 5 Supplemental

Class discussion
Laser Welded Tailored Blanks

Forming of sheet metals

Q: Why are many parts of products such as
cars made from sheet metals?
A: Formed sheet material allows fabrication of
high strength-to-weight ratio structures
e.g. light-weighting of cars
A: Formability of thin metals sheet allows
shaping and strengthening by pressing,
hydroforming etc

Forming of sheet metals

Press forming

Necking (tearing)

Joining of pre-formed sheet parts

Joining of pre-formed sheet parts

Problem of misalignment in fit-up

3D parts: one of many examples

Hydroformed
chassis part

Laser welding

View, consider & discuss

Unformed laser welded steel strip sample
What do you note are the key features of the
laser weld?
- 2 sheets of different thickness welded
- uniform and consistent weld
- small heat-affected zone

Formability
Erichsen Cupping Test

Formability
http://core.materials.ac.uk/search/detail.php?
id=2574
To test forming properties under more realistic conditions
technological testing methods are used which simulate the
practical process in a simplified form. This interactive animation
schematically presents the Erichsen cupping test, which is a
simple stretch forming test of a sheet clamped firmly between
blankholders to prevent in-flow of sheet material into the
deformation zone. The punch is forced onto the clamped sheet
with tool contact (lubricated, but with some friction) until cracks
occur. The depth (mm) of the punch is measured and gives the
Erichsen index 'IE', standardised under DIN 50101

Formability
Erichsen Cupping Test
The Erichsen cupping test is a ductility test, which
is employed to evaluate the ability of metallic
sheets and strips to undergo plastic deformation
in stretch forming.
The test consists of forming an indentation by
pressing a punch with a spherical end against a
test piece clamped between a blank holder and a
die, until a through crack appears.
The depth of the cup is measured.

View, consider & discuss

Laser welded steel strip sample that has
undergone Erichsen Cupping Test
What do you note are the key features &
findings of the test result?
- material failure occurs along a path of
maximum strain / plastic deformation
which is not along the weld line in this
case, but in the thinner of the 2 sheets

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Sheets are
pre-welded
before
mechanical
stamping
(single step)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Car inner door prototype tailor welded blank (left).

Prototype A pillar for a Land Rover vehicle (right).

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

http://www.twi.co.uk/newsevents/videos/tailored-blankwelding/?locale=en

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

(Images courtesy of
ThyssenKrupp /
Nothelfer, Germany)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Blanks are welded together
with either a linear weld
(below), a curve-linear
weld (right), or a nonlinear weld (not shown)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Advantages:
Weight Reduction = fuel savings
Cost Savings ($3 per door cited at first launch)
Tooling cost reduction & fewer production steps
Increased Structural Integrity
Improved corrosion protection by the elimination
of overlapped joints
Improved performance (ride) compared to spot
welded car body structures

LWTB: Comparative cost study

example - car front door

(Image courtesy
of ThyssenKrupp
/ Nothelfer,
Germany)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Laser Welded Tailored Blank (LWTB)

Non-linear seam lines (Rear floor panel)

Example LWTB production lines

Example LWTB production lines

Laser Welding Line at TAILOR Steel, Genk, Belgium

Example LWTB production lines

Tailored blank production on a continuous laser
welding system from Nothelfer

(Image courtesy of
ThyssenKrupp /
Nothelfer, Germany)

LWTB market
Market development for tailored blanks in Europe to
2006 - breakdown by component group

(Image courtesy of ThyssenKrupp / Nothelfer, Germany)

Summary
Laser-welded blanks are typically composed of
different types and thickness of steel, which are
welded together into one piece.
The piece is then stamped into shape as a single
unit such as a car door inner or floor panel.
Using this method, manufacturers add strength
to parts where it is needed, reduce weight,
improve performance, improve corrosion
protection by the elimination of overlapped
joints, and reduce costs due to the reduction of
dies, presses, etc. due to fewer production steps.

Example LWTB production lines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK4FwBM9E8