EuroBlech 2018

••• 14••• Innovationen When steel and aluminium get engaged Scientists develop a novel lightweight production process for hybrid compound forging T he Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover (IPH) is developing a novel forging pro- cess for lightweight car manufac- turing. The researchers’ aim is to create a material bond between steel sheets and bulk aluminium parts already during the forming process – without the need for an extra joining step. Hybrid compound forging is the first process that combines two lightweight construction ap- proaches, namely creating a ma- terial bond between steel sheets and bulk parts, and employing different materials with different properties – such as lightweight aluminium and strong steel. The researchers’ idea is to form and join a steel sheet and a solid aluminium stud in one process step. In the past, the individual parts have been formed first and then joined in a second step, for example using stud welding. The idea of hybrid compound forg- ing is to eliminate the subsequent joining step – and facilitate a fast- er and more efficient production of lightweight components. There are two challenges: since al- uminium has a considerably lower melting point than steel, the joint forming process is more compli- cated. Moreover, mixing steel and aluminium creates brittle inter- metallic phases, a material bond which is not strong enough and thus unsuitable for car manufac- ture. Therefore, the researchers use zinc-plated steel sheets and al- uminium studs: zinc firmly bonds to aluminium as well as to steel without creating brittle phases. The researchers’ task is to deter- mine the most suitable process conditions – i. e. optimal tempera- ture, pressure and speed for suc- cessfully forming and joining the two parts. They also try to iden- tify the suitability of the novel process with respect to different types of sheet thicknesses and stud shapes. It is also to deter- mine the joining zone’s capacity to withstand load as well as the machinability of the hybrid part after joining. Aluminium stud meets steel sheet: IPH researchers have succeeded in creating a form-fit connection. Now they want to realize a material bond between the two parts. Photo: IPH Köco setzt neue Maßstäbe in der Verbindungstechnik 6 Kompetenz-Areas Gestalten Siemit den Produktlösungen von KÖCO heute schon die Zukunft. Mumbai, London, Shanghai oder Moskau - unsere Bolzen und Bolzenschweißtechnik kom- men weltweit dort zum Einsatz, wo siche- re Verbindungen gefragt sind. Wir sind Ihr Partner in der Bolzenschweißtechnik und setzen weltweit Standards. Solide Innova- tionen sind die Basis für marktgerechte Lösungen. Mit eigenen Entwicklungen auf den Gebieten Werkstoffe, Umformtechnik und Bolzenschweißtechnik lösen wir be- festigungstechnische Probleme unserer Kunden in verschiedensten Branchen. „ Stahlbau/Hochbau/Brückenbau „ Kraftwerksbau/Energieerzeugung „ Fahrzeugbau/Schienenfahrzeuge „ Anlagenbau/Maschinenbau „ Schiffbau „ Feuerfestbau Köster & Co. GmbH I Spreeler Weg 32 I 58256 Ennepetal I Telefon: 02333 8306-0 I www.koeco.net Eigene Bolzenherstellung seit über 60 Jahren