Hot Off the Press
ULSAB-AVC Confirms Continuing Effectiveness of Stamping
Wednesday, February 06, 2002
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has just released the results of its design study for the ULSAB-AVC (Advanced Vehicle Concepts), a showcase for the latest high-tech steel grades for automotive applications, and it’s clear: even as the use of more complex steels grows, more than 70 percent of the body structures and closure parts make use of the stamping process. The study comprised conceptual designs for two vehicles—a two-door hatchback and a four-door mid-size sedan, both meeting the more stringent safety standards coming in 2004. A consortium of 33 global steel companies directed and funded the study, to confirm the applications and benefits of what the steel industry calls advanced high-strength steels (AHSS). These new grades gain high-performance properties in strength and formability by incorporating multi-phase microstructures of martensite, bainite and/or austenite. AHSS, which make up more than 80 percent of the AVC body structures, exhibit a superior combination of excellent formability, high strength, dent resistance and crash-energy management. Key is the ability of the alloys to workharden during forming. AHSS tailored blanks make up the AVC front suspension, a double-wishbone design. Closure panels are of 0.6- Dual Phase 350/600 AHSS. In all, tailored blanks account for 40 percent of the AVC body and closure structures; hydroformed parts, 20 percent; and tailored tubes, 6 percent. Stamping, concludes the report, is the predominant steel-forming method, used in more than 70 percent of the body structures and closure parts. More information can be gained at
www.ulsab-avc.org.
Rome Strip Steel Receives Safety Award
Tuesday, February 05, 2002
Rome Strip Steel Co., Rome, NY, has been awarded the Liberty Mutual Loss Prevention Safety Commendation Award for having an accident rate 56 percent better than its competition. Rome Strip, in working with Liberty Mutual to identify loss areas and improve safety practices, reduced its loss rate by 70 percent.
“This award highlights the team effort put forward by our employees to reduce our accident rate,” said Kirk Hinman, Rome Strip president. “While the new safety procedures streamline our operation and make us more efficient, the real benefit is the health and well-being of our employees.”
Liberty Mutual, a multi-line insurer, provides workers compensation, general liability and business auto insurance to Rome Strip.
The 180 employees of Rome Strip roll, anneal and slit a range of cold-rolled alloy, high-carbon and low-carbon close-tolerance strip steels, and various grades of high-strength low-alloy steels.
Laser Consulting Online
Monday, February 04, 2002
Laser-system provider GSI Lumonics Inc., Northville, MI, offers two new services to users of its website: Ask an Applications Expert, where people can ask for advice on the use of lasers and encourages the inclusion of part drawings or photos; and a second service called Get Samples Processed, where users can request sample parts processing using lasers by filling out and submitting a form with application details. The firm will contact the person filling out such a form to arrange for sample processing. The site:
www.gsilumonics.com--click on “Cutting, Drilling & Welding.”
