The current study elucidates the effects of cementite spheroidization and pro-eutectoid ferrite on the sliding wear resistance in medium carbon (0.45wt%C) and high carbon (1wt%C) steels. Both steels were initially heat treated to obtain a fully pearlite or ferrite + pearlite microstructure. Spheroidizing heat treatments were performed on both steels to spheroidize the pearlitic cementite. Sliding wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-disk wear tester with the steel specimens as the disk and an alumina ($Al_2O_3$) ball as the pin. The sliding wear tests were carried out at room temperature in air with humidity of $40{\pm}2%$. Adapted sliding distance and applied load was 300m and 100N, respectively. Sliding speed was 0.1m/s and the wear-track radius was 9 mm. Worn surfaces and cross-sections of the wear track were examined using an SEM. Micro Vickers hardness of the wear-track subsurface was measured as a function of depth from the worn surface. Hardness and sliding-wear resistance of both steel decreased with increased spheroidization of the cementite. The decrease was more significant in the fully pearlitic steel (1wt%C steel). The steel with the pro-eutectoid ferrite showed relatively higher wear resistance compared to the spheroidized pearlitic steel.

The current study aims to predict the forming limits considering the deformation characteristics of tailor rolled blank(TRB) during hot stamping. The formability of TRB is affected by the TRB line orientation because elongations change due to the intrinsic geometry within the sheet. To evaluate the forming limits, Nakazima tests were conducted at elevated temperatures with different TRB line orientations. Forming limit diagrams(FLD) of TRB can be predicted by an interpolating equation based on the Nakazima test. Predicted FLDs were used in FE-simulations of a rectangular drawing. The predicted limit drawing height was compared with experimental results. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental ones with an error range of 3%.

The purpose of the current study is to predict the hardness distribution in steel products after hot stamping using a quench factor analysis(QFA) coupled with FE-simulations. QFA is a method to predict properties such as hardness and tensile strength based on time-temperature-property(TTP) curves and can determine properties based on the temperature histories. The constants($K_1{\sim}K_5$) of QFA were determined using hardness data obtained after various cooling rates. In the current study, a rear side member was selected for evaluation and FE-simulations were performed to obtain the temperature histories during hot stamping. The predicted temperature data were imported into the QFA to calculate the hardness distribution of the hot stamped parts. A hot stamping experiment of the rear side member was conducted to verify the predicted hardness. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental measurements.

Electromagnetic forming(EMF) is one of the high-speed forming methods, and has been used to deform metal sheets. The advantages of electromagnetic forming are reduced wrinkling due to non-contact characteristic and fine formability because of the high speed impact. In the current study, we suggest the application of electromagnetic forming to emboss pattern shapes using electromagnetic forces with only one forming coil and one punch. The high impact of the sheet at speeds of 100~300m/s produces significant coining pressure. In the current paper, electromagnetic forming was applied to Al 1100-O sheets; with thickness of 1.27mm and an area of $40mm{\times}40mm$. Using a single spiral coil, totally different types of patterns were created. Four different patterns were successfully produced on the aluminum sheet. The length and depth of the patterns were measured by three-dimensional scanning. Comparisons to the die shape showed good agreement. The test results confirm that emboss pattern forming by EMF using a single die can be used to replace the costly conventional method.

Flexible roll forming allows profiles to have variable cross-sections. However, the profile may have some shape errors, such as, warping which is a major defect. The shape error is induced by geometrical deviations in both the concave zone and the convex zone. In the current study, flexible roll forming was modeled with FE simulations to analyze the shape error and the longitudinal strain distribution along the flange section over the profile. A distribution of analytically calculated longitudinal strains was used to develop relationships between the shape error and the longitudinal strain distribution as a function of the defined shape parameters for the profile. The FE simulations showed that the shape error is primarily affected by the deviations between the distribution of analytically calculated longitudinal strain and the longitudinal strain distribution of the profile. The results show that the shape error can be controlled by designing the shape parameters to control the geometrical deviations at the flange section in the transition zones.

During roll forming a sheet metal is continuously and progressively formed into a product of the required cross-section and longitudinal shape. An example product is a circular tube with a required diameter, wall-thickness and straightness. Roll forming occurs by passing the sheet through a series of forming rolls that are arranged in tandem. Each pair of forming rolls in the roll forming line plays a particular role in obtaining the required cross-section and longitudinal shape in the product. In recent years, that process is often applied to car body parts by automotive industries. In the current study, an optimal model design and proper roll-pass sequences as well as the number of forming rolls and bending angles were used to produce a sill side. The effects of the process parameters on the final shape formed by roll forming defects were evaluated.

An analysis procedure is proposed to improve the prediction accuracy of springback as well as to evaluate the structural stability of the tooling used for fabricating a side sill part from UHSS. The analysis couples the stamping analysis and the subsequent analysis of the tool structural. The deformation and stress results for the tool structure are obtained from the proposed analysis procedure. The results show that the amount of deformation and stresses are so high that the tool structure must be reinforced and the tooling design must consider structural stability. Springback is predicted with CAE in order to compare the prediction accuracy between the given tool geometry and the geometry from the structural analysis. The simulation results with the deformed tool can predict the experimental springback tendency accurately.

In the current study, Al-Mn-Zn alloys are strip-cast and used as the base alloy for the core of aluminum clad sheets used in automotive condenser fins. Transition elements such as Cu and Cr are added to the base core alloy in order to improve the properties of the clad sheets. The AA4343/Al-Mn-Zn-X(X: Cu, Cr)/AA4343 clad sheets are fabricated by roll bonding and further cold-rolled to a thickness of 0.08 mm. Clad sheets were intermediately annealed during cold rolling at $450^{\circ}C$ in order to obtain 40% reduction at the final thickness. Tensile strength and sag resistance of the clad sheets are improved by Cu additions to the core alloy, while corrosion resistance is also increased. Cr-additions to the clad sheets enhance sag resistance and provide low enough corrosion, although tensile strength is not improved. The effect of Cu and Cr additions on the properties of the clad sheets is elucidated by microstructural analysis.