Simulation technique significantly reduces press shop set-up lead-times and can help improve quality of complex stamped automotive body panels - including the latest high strength steels.

Corus has developed a new and unique technology called In-Form that applies the latest computer aided engineering (CAE) simulation techniques to help optimise the set-up of automotive press shop processes. Following extensive trials, In-Form has demonstrated that it can help vehicle makers improve manufacturability and quality of complex stamped body panels thereby significantly reducing press shop set-up lead-times. With the growing use of high-tech steels in today's automotive press shops, it is increasingly important for carmakers to better understand how steel blanks will deform and flow as they are pressed.

This is particularly important for large and complicated components such as bodysides.

The traditional press shop set-up approach relies on practical iterations in fine-tuning of both blanks and tooling, frequently meaning many wasted trial parts until the process is optimised, which is both time consuming and costly.

Working closely with its customers, Corus engineers based at the company's RD and T (research, development and technology) facility in IJmuiden, The Netherlands, realised that there was an opportunity to help OEMs find the right balance between reducing press shop development time whilst still maintaining quality.

The resulting In-Form technology uses a state-of-the-art laser device to scan and capture the 3D surface of the part or stamping tool needed to generate a physical geometry, which is then fed into a forming simulation model for optimisation or evaluation.

Importantly, using this process ensures that Corus and customer engineers always have current geometry of the tool for modelling and evaluation rather than initial and potentially out-of-date CAD drawings.

Using these new tools, Corus engineers can now analyse different tool/material variations of press shop parameters in a much faster way, thereby significantly reducing lead-time development and costs.

Like Corus' PHAST system for strain measurement, a key factor enabling a speedy response is that the hardware and software to run In-Form is portable, allowing Corus engineers to work with vehicle manufacturers on site, thus further saving valuable press tool set-up time.

Commenting on the benefits to customers, Corus RD and T's customer support engineer Hans Brouwer said: 'OEMs constantly face the issue of having to find the right balance between quality and time.

We are the first material supplier to offer this technology to help them, which combines accurate measurement of 3D geometry, the latest forming analysis techniques and Corus' materials expertise, to deliver significantly reduced lead-times during the tool tryout stages.

This enables a 'right-first-time' approach, resulting in improved confidence in the production of critical stamped parts.' Brouwer continued: 'Additionally, In-Form allows us to assess the performance of new grades of steel considered during a current vehicles' life-cycle, and confidently demonstrate the performance benefits of proposed material changes to our customers without the risk of costly downtime associated with physically proving out new changes to tool or material specifications.