Temperature-Supported Forming of Automobile Related Magnesium Components

Abstract

Lightweight design in passenger cars is gaining more and more importance. Independent from conventionally or electrically drive train concepts, weight reduction is one of the most rated defining variables for fuel or energy consumption, thus affecting the range of the vehicle. Overall, the potential for using steel in lightweight bodywork construction has attained a high level of development with the result that the potential for further optimisation is increasingly diminishing. As a consequence, alternative lightweight construction materials are set to become more important in the future. Compared to the beneficial application potential regarding bending and distortion of steel- and Aluminium compared to Magnesium blanks, this material becomes more and more interesting for automobile applications. Beside challenges like corrosion and recycling, mainly an appropriate forming technology lies in the focus of investigations. Due to the insufficient forming conditions of Magnesium at room temperature the focus of investigation was related to the characterisation of material properties depending on temperature, the thermo-mechanical forming simulation for process and tool design and the practical realisation of complex, car-related part geometries as well as requirements for forming tools and additional devices. In the following article we will present the results of studies into the forming of magnesium sheets (AZ31) including tailored blanks, achieved within a growth cell (TeMaK and TeMaK+).

Manufacturing of Long Products Made of Innovative Lightweight Materials

“…A temperature-supported forming of magnesium components already is available for a number of different forming technologies, e.g. deep drawing and hydroforming including the use of tailored blanks [24]. The roll forming of magnesium wrought alloys has not only been limited by the need for the integration of suitable heating concepts and devices but also by the specifics of the technology that is laid up for a rather big output of same parts, while the immediate availability of magnesium sheets and coils had not yet been pushed by an equivalent end-user demand.…”

Tribological Investigations on Tool Surfaces for Temperature-Supported Forming of Magnesium AZ31 Sheets

“…Researches on these technologies are essential for the automotive industry to accomplish the vehicle weight reduction. Magnesium has been demonstrated as a material with significant potential for weight reduction due to its low density (1.74 g/cm 3 ) and relatively high mechanical strength. However, the use of lubricants and the relatively high values of the friction coefficient are the biggest problems to forming sheets from magnesium alloys [1][2][3].…”

“…Magnesium alloys have a limited forming capacity at room temperature [3,4], which is associated with their hexagonal closed packed structure [5]. Thus, it is necessary to enable additional gliding planes, which can be obtained by performing the processes at temperatures above 225 • C, in order to produce components of complex geometries [3].…”

“…Magnesium alloys have a limited forming capacity at room temperature [3,4], which is associated with their hexagonal closed packed structure [5]. Thus, it is necessary to enable additional gliding planes, which can be obtained by performing the processes at temperatures above 225 • C, in order to produce components of complex geometries [3]. Notwithstanding, when the forming temperature exceeds 230 • C, the lubrication choice is more restricted to mineral oil, grease, molybdenum disulfide, a colloidal graphite solution, fiberglass, as well as Teflon [6].…”

Mechanical Properties and Microstructures of Laser–TIG Welded ME21 Rare Earth Mg Alloy

“…In order to meet the demands of automobiles for materials of light weight and low energy consumption, developing the Mg alloy and Al alloy plate for automotives to replace the widely used steel plate is an effective method at present [1,2,3,4,5]. The Mg alloys used in automobiles are mainly Mg–Al–Zn alloys [6], Mg–Zn–Zr alloys [7], Mg–A1–Re alloys [8], etc.…”