Page 25 - MetalForming April 2015

A fully outfitted onsite metallurgical lab supports steel hot stamping and aluminum warm forming at Experi-Metal. Many prototype stamping facilities don’t have this capa- bility onsite, so must send samples to offsite labs, with results taking overnight or
longer. “With our lab,” says Gerry King, Experi-Metal vice president of engineering, “we have material results prior to producing parts. By testing the first part in the morning, we won’t run parts all day, and then, if the characteristics aren’t correct, have to scrap an entire day’s worth of production—or worse yet run the risk of nonconforming products reaching the customer.” Additional met.-lab testing is performed at various intervals throughout the production run.
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material results prior to producing parts. By testing the first part in the morning, we won’t run parts all day, and then, if the characteristics aren’t correct, have to scrap an entire day’s worth of production—or worse yet run the risk of nonconforming products reaching the customer. Upon receiving approval from the Experi-Metal met. lab, production ensues.”
Additional met.-lab testing is per- formed at various intervals through- out the production run.
Press Cell Allows for Testing of Other Processes
Heavily involved in hot forming, Experi-Metal is experimenting with related processes, such as aluminum warm forming, which also can be per- formed in the new press cell. Whereas steel heats to about 1700 F for hot form- ing, aluminum typically heats to approximately 600 F during warm forming. Both processes find use in imparting strength to the materials, and aluminum should continue trend- ing upward in automotive applications as challenges related to this notori- ously difficult to shape material are tackled.
“With aluminum warm forming the intent is to use 2000- and 7000-series alloys as opposed to 5000- and 6000-
series alloys,” says King, explaining the general direction of industry research. “The 2000- and 7000-series alloys are much stronger and achieve much- improved crash-test results, but are more difficult to form. It should also be mentioned that encouraging test results have been achieved when form- ing 5000- and 6000-series alloys into more complex geometries with deeper draw configurations while using warm- forming techniques. In general, form- ing trials thus far have yielded some good results for us as well as promising test results for our customers.”
Down the road, the company may explore titanium hot forming, in the same press cell, for aerospace applica- tions.
With Experi-Metal’s signature press cell humming along and advancing the boundaries of unique process tech- nologies while meeting the company’s varying metalforming needs, King expresses satisfaction with the choice of equipment.
“We’ve committed a significant investment and a large chunk of real estate to house this cell, and we are very happy with it,” he says. “This has been one of those projects where we began with a vision and then ended up with something even better than we had dreamed possible.” MF
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