• Laser Solutions
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1999

In this paper, weldability and formability of Tailored-Blank (TB) and the structural impact testing of bump beam were investigated to apply TB to automobile bumper beam. The optimal $CO_2$ laser welding condition for TB of SPFC and SPRC steel plates with different thicknesses was obtained. Before welding, the cross section of butt joint was prepared only by shearing without milling process. Real type bump beam was produced by two kind of forming processes such as roll-forming and press-forming, and the good formability of TB was obtained. Impact test results of bump by using pendulum and barrier were satisfied the impact regulation of bump. Finally. It may be confirmed that laser welded TB is well-balanced material in both weight reduction and production cost of automobile bump.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.354-363
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• 1998

In order to analyze the stretch forming characteristics of tailored blanks, laser welded blanks of different thickness and strength combinations were prepared and stretching tests were done. The stretching formability of laser welded blanks was reduced as increasing the deformation restraining force ($strength{\times}thickness$) ratio between two welded sheets. Weld line movement was attributed to strain concentration at weaker sheets and resulted in fracture at weaker sid, so that fracture could be predicted by the forming limit of the weak sheet. In the case of a welded blank with the similar deformation restraining force rations between two welded sheets, crack occurred at weld and its forming limit was about 15% less than the base sheet. The effects of lubrication and weld line position on stretch-ing formability were also investigated by experiments. Lower friction did not always give better formability for tailored blanks. Stretching formability was observed to be improved as increasing the area of weak sheet.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.4-10
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• 1998

A basic research for tailored blank welding between mild steel and Zn-coated steel was carried out with $CO_2$ laser beam. The materials used in this work were low carbon steel sheet with a thickness of 1.2mm and Zn-coated steel sheet with the same thickness and 6.3$\mu$m Zn coating. Experiments were carried out by applying the Taguchi method in order to obtain optimized conditions for the application of tailored blank laser welding method in practical manufacturing process. Optical microscopy, XRD, SEM and TEM analysis were performed to observe microstructures and to determine the solidification mode of welded zone. Also mechanical properties were measured by microhardness test tensile test and Erichsen test in order to evaluate the formability of welded specimen. There was no trapped Zn in the fusion zone, and the phases in this region consisted of polygonal ferrite, quasi-polygonal ferrite, banitic ferrite and martensite. The elongation value of welded specimen was more than 80% of that value in the substrate and LDH value was more than 90% of that value in the substrate metal.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.283-293
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• 2001

Laser welded tailored blanks(TB) are increasingly used in automotive parts. Among these, TB side panel has forming difficulties in stretch flanging areas such as front and center pillar lower region. To avoid splits in the stretch flanging areas, Proper design of blank shape and drawbeads are essential In this study, the forming simulaton is carried out to investigate the influences of blank shape and drawbeads on stretch flange formability of different thickness TB. And an optimization procedure including the effects of both the blank design and drawbeads is presented. The optimization procedure proposed in this study is expected to be effectively used in blank and die design of TB side panel.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 1999

In this study, side panels were developed using the laser-welded tailored blank (T.B.) of both the same thickness and different thickness. At first, the formability of the same thickness T.B. was investigated to compare with one of the non-welded panel with respect to weldline movement and strain distribution in blank during the stamping process. Based on these results, we determined the weld line positions and the die step for T.B. forming of the blanks composed of different thickness combination. Then we made some stamping tryouts with selected types of blanks to investigate the formability of T.B. of the different thickness. During the tryouts, wrinkles were found in the a-pillar lower region which is under the deformation mode of the shrink flange. In the b-pillar region, fractures were also found. These defects have been reduced and corrected by controlling the blank design, the die faces and process parameters.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1997.03a
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• pp.55-58
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• 1997

In automotive industries, stamping of laser-welded blank gives many merits which brings about dimensional accuracy, strong body assembly and high productivity. However the welding of blanks with different thickness or/and different strength materials introduces many challenging formability problems for process development and tool design. In this paper, the deformation characteristics for deep drawing process of laser-welded blank with different thickness sheets are investigated by experiment and FEM simulation. And also the optimal location of weld line in laser-welded blank with different thickness sheets is calculated to compensate for the movement of weld line on deep drawing process. In addition, the effect of location of weld line is clarified using FEM simulation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1997.03a
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• pp.37-41
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• 1997

Tailored Blanks are defined as two or more separate pieces of sheet material having the same or dissimilar thickness and/or physical properties, joined together before forming. Its application is being increased especially in the automotive industrial area for the cost reduction, weight saving, and improvement of strength. In this paper, the deforming behaviour of the laser welded blanks with regard to different thicknesses and combinations are described through some experimental investigations on the formability of a door inner. To investigate how the combination of thickness and material property influences the movement of welding line, a series of laser welded T/B blanks are tested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.7-13
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• 2000

Forming characteristics of tailored blank are mostly effected by the welding method. Recently, laser welding is widely used for the tailored blank. However, tensile and forming characteristics vary due to welding conditions such as welding speed, heat flux etc. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of welding speed on the tensile and forming characteristics of laser welded tailored blank. For this purpose, tailored blank specimens with different welding speed were prepared and tensile tests were performed. Also forming tests such as LDH and OSU test, were performed to evaluate the effect of welding speed on the forming characteristics. Finally, forming limit diagrams were obtained for different welding speed.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.193-199
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• 2001

Forming more than two parts of sheet metal in a single stamping operation lowers production costs, reduces weight, and heightens dimensional accuracy. The tailored blank (TB) is a laser-welded or mash-seam-welded sheet metal with different thicknesses, different strengths, or different coatings. Recently, automotive manufacturers have been interested in tailored blanks because of their desire to improve the rigidity, weight reduction, crash durability, and cost savings. Therefore the application to auto-bodies has increased. However, as tailored blanks do not behave like un-welded blanks in press forming operations, stamping engineers no longer rely on conventional forming techniques. Field try-outs are very important manufacturing processes for an economic die-making. In the field try-outs, the rounded geometries of tool and the drawbead shape and size in die face are generally modified when the forming defects can not be removed by the adjustment of forming process parameters. In this study, the field try-outs of tailored door inner panel are introduced and evaluated. The behaviours of laser tailored blank associated with different thickness combinations in the forming process of door inner panel are described focusing on terms of experimental investigations on the formability.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2000

The new FLD of the laser welded blank, which includes FLCs of welded zone and base metals, is introduced. For the forming limits of welded zone, the hemispherical dome punch tests were performed with various widths of asymmetric specimen. The FLC0 as well as the dome height at fracture associated with various specimen widths in the same and different thickness combinations were found to see the formability depending on thickness combinations. In order to show the application of the new FLD, the measured strains of squared cup drawing and simulated strains of door inner panel stamping were compared with those of FLCs. The successful prediction of fracture in the applications reveals that the forming limits of welded zone and base metals should be separately found for more accurate evaluation of the formability and workability of the laser welded blank.