Prevention of Tearing Failure during Forming of Lower Control Arm via TRIZ Methodology

Many forming failures such as tearing and wrinkling are encountered during sheet metal forming operations, and it is important for manufacturers to find a quick solution for these failures that hinder the production of a desired part. The theory of inventive problem-solving (TRIZ) is a problem-solving method that considers the patents issued in the past that have been useful in solving problems across a variety of industries. In this paper, TRIZ methodology was utilized to solve the tearing problem occurring during the forming of the lower control arm (automotive suspension part) without altering the desired shape and material of the part. For this purpose, a contradiction matrix was developed and the four different TRIZ principles of “segmentation,” “taking out,” “the other way around,” and “parameter change” were implemented in four different experiments. Of the conducted experiments, the experiment in which the TRIZ principles of “segmentation,” “taking out,” and “parameter change” were implemented together resolved the problem in a way that was acceptable and feasible for mass production of the lower control arm.