TAILORTOOL

Development of New Tool Materials with Tailored Thermomechanical Properties

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Improving tool behaviour can optimise forming processes undergoing severe thermomechanical solicitations which are used to obtain high performance components. FGM are particularly appropriate for developing high performance tools since they allow this optimization through a graded variation of their properties. This project aims to develop a new generation of FGM with: •Functionally graded thermal conductivity and wear resistance for hot stamping, forging and casting dies to enable controlled cooling in different regions of the die. In hot stamping it will allow obtaining microstructurally tailored components, with an improved performance and crash performance with optimized weight for safety related automotive components. In die casting it is expected to increase tool life and improve the mechanical properties of the casting. •Improved fracture toughness and wear resistance for cold forming through a gradual variation of the hard particles content. It will be done by an optimization of the properties of the microstructural constituents, i.e. hard particles and the metallic matrix, separately. •FGM with surfaces tailored to have high load bearing capability as a substrate for hard coatings. These aims will be achieved by: •Microstructural design considering the thermomechanical requirements acting on tools, obtained from simulation of the heat transfer and stresses acting on each microstructural constituent. •Investigation into the relationship between the properties of the microstructural constituents and the macroscopic mechanical behaviour. A detailed investigation on the properties, size, morphology and surface modification of the hard particles will be made. •Thermomechanical laboratory tests to screen the developed materials. Materials will be characterised in terms of thermal conductivity, thermal fatigue, fracture and fatigue resistance and wear behaviour. Process related experiments, including NDT will be carried out for upscaling to industrial use'

Descrizione progetto (Article)

UHSS is an obvious choice for optimised crash performance when used in structural components of the automotive industry. However, the extreme temperature and pressure (thermomechanical) conditions required during forming significantly reduce tool lifetime and increase product cost. The material thus faces intense competition from lightweight composites that are easy to process and often imported from countries outside the EU.

A large consortium of industrial and research partners addressed this challenge with EU funding of the project 'Development of new tool materials with tailored thermomechanical properties' (TAILORTOOL). Researchers intended to enhance tool performance by developing novel functionally graded materials (FGMs). These FGMs would be capable of demonstrating a gradual variation in either thermal conductivity or in microstructure, depending on the application. Scientists were also able to customise the products themselves by implementing novel materials in the machining tools.

Scientists focused on four different materials and processes covering hot stamping, hot forging, high-pressure die casting and cold forming. Processed materials consisted of UHSS, hardened Grade B steel sheets and light alloys. Information regarding thermomechanical effects on industrial tools in service is not readily available. Scientists therefore developed specialised sensors with fast response times to accurately measure, for the first time, heat flux and local temperature at the contact zone. Data were fed into finite element (FE) simulations to optimise tool materials and properties.

Researchers developed three different families of materials and tools for the given manufacturing processes. These were specially tailored to enhance tool performance, process efficiency and product quality. Thermal properties were selected to enhance resistance to thermal fatigue or to enable hot stamping to produce components with functionally graded properties. Mechanical properties were optimised through enhanced microstructure and the use of hard particles to increase resistance to mechanical damage.

The TAILORTOOL project delivered novel materials for machining tools capable of withstanding the extreme thermochemical conditions required to form UHSS. Developments are expected to have major positive impact on the steel industry and on manufacturers, and even on the crash performance of future cars.