Innovative forming technologies in car body structures

Ecological and economic reasons are forcing industry to improve efficiency and to save energy and resources. Especially for the automotive and transport industry but also for all other industrial branches dealing with accelerated masses lightweight design is a key issue for achieving this goal. Higher process stability, improved material exploitations, and general shortening of process chains are the most important aims of Fraunhofer IWU. The requirements of the future car achieve the lightweight construction concepts, in which materials, design and manufacturing process harmonize optimally. The usage of lightweight materials is only reasonable when their mechanical characteristics such as stability, stiffness, and temperature resistance are better than those of classic steel. The same is true for the material and production costs. Therefore, Fraunhofer IWU researches on forming and joining technologies in order to achieve the optimum usage of high-strength steels, aluminium, magnesium, and fiber composite materials. New forming technologies as press hardening or electromagnetic forming (EMF) bring positive effects by resource efficiency and energy savings. By developing new materials, it is important to design the whole process chain according to the specific material properties. Press hardening offers an effective method of forming high strength steels. EMF is a high-speed forming technology applicable for shaping, joining, and cutting electrically conductive sheet metal or hollow profile components. A target-oriented design helps to save weight by using optimally adapted structures