Research Projects

The automobile industry utilizes semi-finished products and technologies to improve car design for a sustainable environment. Tailor blanks, such as welded blanks (TWB), rolled blanks (TRB), heat treatment blanks (THTB), and patchwork blanks, are used in various car structures. However, they have limitations such as large edge preparation, lower formability, and weld seams. The development of tailored blanks using constrained groove rolling (CGR) techniques can overcome these limitations. The proposal aims to fabricate a new type of tailored blanks using a modified die profile in a constrained groove pressing (CGP) process at an industrial scale. The modified die profiles will have groove angles of 15o and 35o at different locations, imposing strain of 31% and 81% respectively. Formability studies will be conducted using stretch-forming tests on the proposed blanks. The objectives involve combined studies of FE simulations and experiments on the continuous development of tailored blanks. FE analysis of CGP and stretch forming processes under different design parameters will be investigated using commercially available software ABAQUs using UMAT of advanced yielding criteria. Experimental studies will use rolling mill and stretch forming facilities to process high-strength dual-phase steel. Results from experiments will be compared with simulation results to build confidence and produce reference data. The advantages of these tailored blanks will be proven after comparing them with previously used blanks. The use of new tailored blanks is expected to expand their use in many automobile structural applications, improving crashworthiness and reducing the number of reinforcements.