Skip to main content
Log in

Forming of tailor-welded blanks

  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Beginning in 1992, tailor-welded blanks (TWBs) were used in the United States automotive industry to consolidate parts, reduce tolerances, save weight, and increase stiffness. This business is expanding rapidly; more than $500 million of annual TWB sales are expected by 1997. Welds in steel are generally stronger than the base material, such that weld failure by preferential localization is not a critical issue. However, the forming characteristics of TWBs must be understood in order to design and produce high-quality parts with reasonable production and tooling costs. Three formability issues were addressed in this study: the intrinsic ductility and relative formability of three weld types (CO2 and Nd:YAG laser welds and mash-seam welds with and without mechanical postweld processing); the value and correspondence of mechanical tests to each other and to press performance; and the prediction of the forming behavior using the finite element method (FEM). Two failure modes for TWBs were identified. While the local ductility of welds can differ greatly, little difference in press formability was measured among the weld types. More important than weld ductility are the changed deformation patterns which depend on the differential strength but depend little on local weld prop-erties. Finite element method (FEM) simulations of dome tests and scale fender-forming operations show good agreement with measurements, as long as boundary conditions are known accurately. The importance of weld-line displacement is discussed and several simulations are compared with ex-periments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. B. Irving:Weld. J., 1991, vol. 70 (9), pp. 39–45.

    Google Scholar 

  2. K. Azuma, K. Ikemoto, K. Arima, H. Sugiura, and T. Takasago:Sheet Metals in Forming Processes—Proc. 16th Biennial Congr., ASM INTERNATIONAL, Metals Park, OH, 1988, pp. 205–15.

    Google Scholar 

  3. N. Nakagawa, S. Ikura, and F. Natsumi: SAE Paper No. 930522, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  4. N. Iwata , M. Matsui, N. Nakagawa, and S. Ikura:NUMISHEET '93,Proc. 2nd Int. Conf. Numerical Simulation 3-D Sheet Metal Forming Processes, A. Makinouchi, E. Nakamachi, E. Onate, and R.H. Wagoner, eds., 1993, pp. 303-12.

  5. K.M. Radlmayr and J. Szinyur:Proc. IDDRG Working Groups Meeting, Association of Italian Metallurgy, Milano, 1991, vol. 2.

    Google Scholar 

  6. M.F. Shi, K.M. Pickett, and K.K. Bhatt: SAE Paper No. 930278, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  7. B.Y. Wang, M.F. Shi, H. Sadrina, and F. Lin: SAE Paper No. 950376, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Yuji Hishida and Robert H. Wagoner: SAE Paper No. 930285, alsoSheet Metal and Stamping Symp., SAE SP-944, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1993, pp. 93–100.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yuji Hishida and Robert H. Wagoner: inAdvanced Technology of Plasticity 1993, Z.R. Wang and He Yuxin, eds., International Academic Publishers, 1993, pp. 1740-46.

  10. M.F. Shi: National Steel Product Application Center, Livonia, MI.

  11. Gary Neiheisel: Armco Research and Technology, Middletown, OH.

  12. Tim Webber: Hobart Laser Products, Livermore, CA.

  13. Bob van Ofteren: Newcor Bay City, Bay City, MI.

  14. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, ASTM Standard E-8, ASTM, Philadelphia, PA, 1994.

  15. M.P. Miles, N. Krishnaiyengar, R.H. Wagoner, and J.L. Siles:Metall. Trans. A, 1993, vol. 24A, pp. 1143–51.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. F.I. Saunders, M.P. Miles, and R.H. Wagoner:Met. Form., 1993, vol. 27, pp. 31–34.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Y.S. Suh and R.H. Wagoner: inComputer Applications In Shaping and Forming of Materials, Mahmoud Y. Demeri, ed., TMS, Warrendale, PA, 1993, pp. 221–30.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Y.S. Suh and R.H. Wagoner:Proc. Kor. Soc. Auto. Eng., 1993, pp. 221-26.

  19. Y.S. Suh and R.H. Wagoner:Proc. Kor. Soc. Mech. Eng., 1993, pp. 577-80.

  20. R.A. Ayres, W.G. Brazier, and V.F. Sajewski:J. Appl. Metalwork., 1979, vol. 1, p. 41.

    Google Scholar 

  21. M.S. Caceci and W.P. Cacheris:Byte, 1984, p. 340.

  22. J.H. Hollomon:Trans. AIME, 1945, vol. 162, p. 268.

    Google Scholar 

  23. E. Voce:J. Inst. Met., 1948, vol. 74, pp. 537, 562, and 760;Eng., 1953, vol. 195, p. 23;Metallurgica, 1953, vol. 51, p. 219.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Y. Germain, K. Chung, and R.H. Wagoner:Int. J. Mech. Sci., 1989, vol. 31, pp. 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. R. Hill:Proc. R. Soc., 1949, vol. 198, p. 428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. A. Parmer and P.B. Mellor:Int. J. Mech. Sci., 1978, vol. 20, pp. 385- 92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. W.F. Hosford:J. Appl. Mech., 1972, vol. E39, pp. 607–09.

    Google Scholar 

  28. J.R. Knibloe and R.H. Wagoner:Metall. Trans. A, 1989, vol. 20A, pp. 113–23.

    Google Scholar 

  29. F.I. Saunders and R.H. Wagoner: inComputer Applications In Shaping and Forming of Materials, Mahmoud Y. Demeri, ed., TMS, Warrendale, PA, 1993, pp. 205–20.

    Google Scholar 

  30. ABAQUS, v. 5.2, Ohio Supercomputer Center, under academic license from Hibbitt, Karlsson, and Sorensen, Inc., Pawtucket, RI, 1993.

  31. W. Wang and R.H. Wagoner: SAE Paper No. 930807, Society Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  32. R.M. Harycki, K.E. Gasper, R.J. Smola, F.I. Saunders, J.M. Garrett, and R.H. Wagoner:Met. Form., 1994, vol. 28, pp. 39–47.

    Google Scholar 

  33. R.H. Wagoner and D. Zhou:NUMIFORM '92—Proc. 4th Int. Conf. Numerical Methods of Industrial Forming Processes, J.-L. Chenot, R.D. Wood, O.C. Zienkiewicz, and A.A. Balkema, 1992, pp. 123-32.

  34. T.B. Stoughton:Controlling Sheet Metal Forming Processes—Proc. 15th Biennial IDDRG Congr., ASM INTERNATIONAL, Metals Park, OH, 1988, pp. 205–15.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

F.I. Saunders, Formerly Graduate Research Associate, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Saunders, F.I., Wagoner, R.H. Forming of tailor-welded blanks. Metall Mater Trans A 27, 2605–2616 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02652354

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02652354

Keywords

Navigation