FROM SINGLE PARTS TO ASSEMBLIES - PROCESS CHAINS IN HYDROFORMING FOR CAR BODY COMPONENTS

摘要

New car body concepts, innovative car body manufacturing processes, changing strategies in the body in white, as well as the joining and assembly processes for car bodies have to be considered in conjunction with relevant market trends the car industry has to consider. Higher requirements arise also from new materials and increased pressure to cut costs. Different strategies, approaches and technological variants are currently being developed, tested and applied. The present technological level is high. For that reason, further savings and new solutions can only result from an overall consideration of whole process chains from single parts to complex assemblies.rnThis paper explains aspects of such process chain consideration, focusing on the technological hydroforming concept and the use of hydroforming to manufacture car body components. The strategy is illustrated with examples of current R&D projects of the Chemnitz (Germany) Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) in co-operation with partners from automotive industry and suppliers.rnBased on an analysis of the state of art in this field of application of tube and sheet hydroforming, the necessity of complex thinking and interactions between part design, material choice, pre-forming up to assembling and joining technologies is stated out. As examples for applicable technology development, a new bending system for tubes "HexaBend" and a successful technology application of hydroforming for double blanks is shown. Results of new processes, combining hydroforming with one-side joining are demonstrated.