Press hardening

from a global perspective

Dr. Martin Skrikerud

Vice Chief Technical Officer

AP&T WORLD WIDE

SALES AND SERVICE

China

Czech Republic

Denmark

Germany

Japan

Poland

Slovakia

Sweden

United Kingdom

USA

AGENTS

Belgium

Brazil

CIS

Finland

Italy

Mexico

Netherlands

Norway

South Korea

Turkey

PRODUCTION

Blidsberg, Sweden

Brescia, Italy

Tranemo, Sweden

HEADQUARTERS

Tranemo, Sweden

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ONE RESPONSIBLE PARTNER®

Competence in-house >> Modular-based systems >> Follow our customers globally

Personal contacts at all levels >> Market leader in defined niches

Project Management

Technology Integration

Tools

Documentation

Production Lines

Tool Handling Systems

Automation

Presses

Operators Interface

Customer Service

• Mid19-century the first hot rolled and cold rolled boron steel was

developed by Norrbottens Jernverk, Luleå (Today

SSAB)

• 1973 - The press hardening process (HotStamping) was

developed by Norrbottens Jernverk

• 1975 - First R&D Project Volvo Truck and Plannja HardTech

• 1984 - Saab Automobile AB became the first vehicle

manufacturer to use hardened boron steel component

(Side impact beam)

• 1991 – First bumper beam (Ford)

Press Hardening

History

The process

Source: Naderi et al. [2007]

Delivery

Condition*

Perlite/Ferrite

Final State*

Martensite

TTT-Curve for 22MnB5

Heating

of single blanks

Controlled quenching

within the tool

* Source: ArcelorMittal

7

Martensite

Bainite

Ferrite

Perlite

Boron Alloyed Steel: 22MnB5

Source: TU Graz

Press Hardening

Why?

• High strength

• Increase safety

• Reduce weight

• “No” sprinback

• Products:

– Side impact beams

– Front and rear bumpers

– Floor Tunnels

– “B” Pillars

– Chassis components

Press hardening – sample geometries

Door ring

Tailor Welded blank 0,9-1,8mm

Usibor, Ductibor

Part development – tailored properties

Part development – soft zones

Example soft zone die section

Isolation plates

Heating elements

MARKET TRENDS

CO2 Emission and Targets

McKinsey 01/2012

fleet Europe 2010

Regulation for 2020

potential 2025

140

95

75

0 €

4.000 €

12.000 €

CO2 emission… potential penalty …

CO2 Emission and Targets

Others1 20%

Alu 13%

Steel 12%

UHSS 37%

Magn. 5%

Plastics 10%

Comp. 3%

Materials 2020Plus

Others1 19%

Alu 9%

Steel 52%

UHSS 15%

Magn. 5%

Our Materials Today

Today Mainly conventional steel (49%)

Mainly Body in White

Mainly Automotive

Tomorrow Mainly Steel, but UHSS + Steel (49%) …

… plus Aluminum (13%)

Reduced Weight

Material Mix

Safety demands change and get

tougher

Increased components

1

8

V70

2000

10

20

30

40

50

XC90

2002

V70’

2007

XC60

2008

S60

2010

V40

2012

% of BIW weight

Upper

limit

~40%

XC60 - 11%

”Upper limit” - 40%

V40 - 20%

The new SPA-platform will have about 40% boron steel parts

Cold formed Vs. Hot Formed , Study by

FIAT

B-PILLAR CPL

MOD. 312

patchwork

= +

B-PILLAR CPL

MOD. 199

Usage and future needs of Usibor (in addition, there is uncoated and Zn-coated material)

Source: Arcelor Mittal

TOOLS FOR PRESS HARDENING

Inlet Outlet

• Cooling channels

machined through the die

sections.

• Better flow and easier to

control the pressure drop.

Fig. A

Technical figures • Working pressure approx.7,5 Bar

• Pressure drop, approx. 1,5 Bar

• Flow approx. 150 liter / min / cavity

Cooling Channel Development

Material

• QRO 90

• Divar

• 1.2344 (H 13 improved)

• Impax (P20 modified)

Treatment

• PVD coating

• plasma nitrating

Die parts in sections

• maintenance

• manufacturing

Die steels for different needs

Customer case

Panel Dash study

Cracks

Wrinkles

Panel Dash part

Customer case Panel Dash study

Challenges

Customer case Panel Dash study

Panel Dash evaluation

Due to friction in the die the parts crack

Crack due to friction small cracks and wrinkles

Solution • Surface coating

• Die clearance

• Blank shape

Customer case Panel Dash study

Wrinkles

Customer case Panel Dash study

Thickening 14 %

Solution • Added grooves

• Blank shape

Customer case Panel Dash study

Sample panel dash: Cooling simulation

of the dies

3D tools with

cooling channels

Tool temperature at the end of quenching

Production panel dash

Process optimization

• Cooling cycle in die – 12-15 s reduced to 4-8 s

• Die material – Increased lifetime and better cooling ratios

• Handling parts – From robot to linear systems

• Nr. of parts in die – 2 to 4 to 6 to 8 / stroke

• Maintenance cost – Multi layer furnace

• Space savings – Possible to use existing buildings -50% space needed

• Solution Provider – From press supplier to provider of production systems

Reference samples within Automotive

• Volvo Cars

• VW

• FIAT

• Tier 1 USA

Volvo Cars

• Ongoing Project – 2 press hardening lines

– 9 sets of dies

– Cooling system

– 6 Lasers

– Training of personnel

– Extensive know-how transfer

FIAT

• Scope of Supply – 5 complete press hardening

lines

– 4 set of press hardening dies

– Development of Fiat hot forming

tooling standards

– Training of operators and

maintenance personnel

– 1 year of production support

– Turn Key supply

– 4 years of successful production

VW

• Scope of Supply – 3 press hardening lines

– Training of operators and

maintenance personnel

– ½ year of production

support

– Turn key supply

Tier 1 Supplier USA

• Scope of Supply – 2 press hardening lines

– 10 set’s of dies

– Engineering support

– Training of operators and

maintenance personnel

– 1 year of production

support

– Turn key supply

AP&T Today

• Supply

– WW supply of 70+ complete hot forming lines

– WW supply of 60+ hot forming dies

• Developments and Try-out

– New production facilities

– New try out center

– Dies

– Materials

– Tailored properties

– Furnaces

– Laser

– …

Thank you for your attention!