ACP Process : 3B Forming Optimization An Integrated Optimization Manufacturing Process

The automotive and steel industries have several initiatives such as the development of 3 rd Generation Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS), the Nonlinear Strain Path Project and the A/SP AHSS Stamping Team Projects. These initiatives are efforts to expand the forming design space with AHSS to enable increased part complexity, which will allow AHSS to be incorporated into more vehicle components and enable mass reduction. The proposed approach discussed in this presentation will provide a new tool in the effort to expand the forming design space of AHSS. The final design of the Future Steel vehicle (FSV) Project was released in May of 2011. Its development used a new optimization-led design methodology, the Accelerated Concept to Product (ACP) Process ® , which produced highly non-intuitive designs. Component geometry utilized natural, very organic shapes combined with minimum gauge selections. While these non-intuitive designs have the potential to produce lightweight, low-cost, yet structural efficient products; these types of solutions also create significant manufacturing challenges [1]. Exploiting the flexibility of AHSS and modern, advanced steel manufacturing technologies, these types of designs are now possible in the real-world production environment. However, due to severe formability challenges, many design iterations are required to create such solutions. As a subset of the ACP Process, formability analysis using DYNAFORM has now been integrated directly into the optimization based design process. An Integrated Incremental 3B (Draw Bead, Blank Geometry and Binder Pressure) Forming Optimization approach balances forming parameters such as draw Bead force and geometry, Blank shape and size and Binder pressure and then perform gauge optimization of the product itself to create the lightest, most structurally and cost efficient design possible that meets the vehicle performance targets. It achieves this by optimizing the component design for formability while simultaneously validating its in-vehicle crash performance. This paper will explain the quick forming process based on the ACP Process. It will describe the methodology as applied to forming the most challenging FSV components to form through the use of 3B forming optimization and key enablers of the process, including DYNAFORM, LS-DYNA, HEEDS and ANSA.