• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.17-23
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• 1997

A 3-D vision system is developed to evaluate blanks' line up and monitor gap and thickness difference between blanks in tailored blank welding system. A structured lighting method is used for 3-D vision recognition. Images of sheared portion in blanks are irregular according to roughness of blank surface, shape of sheared geometry and blurring. It is difficult to get accurate and reliable informations in the case of using binary image processing or contour detection techniques in real time for such images. We propoe a new energy integration method robust to blurring and changes of illumination. The method is computationally simple, and uses feature restoration concept, different to another digital image restoration methods which aim image itself restoration and may be used in conventional applications using structured line lighting technique. Experimental results show this system measuring repeatability is .+-. pixel for gap and thickness difference in static and dynamic tests. The data are expected to be useful for preview gap control.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.66-75
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• 1999

Weld bead quality in tailored blank(TB) is critically affected by edge preparation of sheets. The edge quality of prepared sheets for TB can be classified into straightness and the cross section quality of sheared plane such as a ratio of shear face, shear plane angle, etc. In order to have a good edg quality for butt-welding sheets, precision shearing will be recommended. In this paper, the feasibility of a conventional mechanical shearing as the edge preparation for tailored blanks is studyied. It reveals that fine shearing may not be the unique solution as it is generally accepted. To obtain the good shearing condition with a conventional mechanical shearing, experiments were carried out using Tahuchi method. The major parameters affecting a sheared contour are the clearance between upper blade and lower blade, and shear angle. The optimal shearing condition yields a very good straightness along the entire length of the cut, which gives a butt joint gap less than 10% of the base material thickness. The good cross section of sheared plane is also achieved in the optimal shearing condition such as a ratio of the shear face above 65%, a cross section's shear plane angle above 85%, little burr, which is providing finally good weld beads.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1998.03a
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• pp.32-35
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• 1998

The material properties and forrnabilities of tailored blanks are evaluated by experimental tests. In the tensile test, the gradient of strength coefficients of the heat affected zone associated with the welded line width represents the quality of a welded part. In the hemispherical dome punching test, the plane strain state of the welded line is observed. In the squared cupping test, the thin side is stretched more than the thick side in the stretch mode, while both sides are similarly stretched in the draw mode. In the 2D draw test, FLCo is measured in a simple manner and the forming defects of the tailored blanks with the same thickness are found.

• Journal of the korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 1997

합체 박판을 사용한 생산 방식은 소수의 스템핑 금형 공정으로 인해 전반적으로 공기가 짧아지고, 보다 견고하며 외관상 우수한 차체를 생산할 수 있다. 또한 재료의 수율을 극대화할 수 있을 뿐만 아니라 차체 각부에서 요구되는 성질과 조건에 따라 판 두께나 재질을 대응할 수 있다는 등의 장점을 가지고 있어 초기긔 설비비는 다른 생산 방식에 비해 고가이지만 전체 공정과 장기적인 관점에서 생산비가 절감된다. 본 기고에서는 합체 박판의 생산 및 활용정도와 각 기업체나 연구소들에서의 연구 진척상황, 그리고 앞으로의 전망에 대해 논한다.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.32-40
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• 2000

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.120-126
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• 2006

In this paper, we investigated the characteristics of fatigue fracture on TB(Tailored Blank) weldment by comparing the fatigue crack propagation characteristics of base metal with those of TB welded sheet used for vehicle body panels. We also investigated the influence of center crack on the fatigue characteristic of laser weld sheet of same thickness. We conducted an experiment on fatigue crack propagation on the base metal specimen of 1.2mm thickness of cold-rolled metal sheet(SPCSD) and 2.0mm thickness of hot-rolled metal sheet(SAPH440) and 1.2+2.0mm TB specimen. We also made an experiment on fatigue crack propagation on 2.0+2.0mm and 1.2+1.2mm thickness TB specimen which had center crack. The characteristics of fatigue crack growth on the base metal were different from those on 1.2+2.0mm thickness TB specimen. The fatigue crack growth rate of the TB welded specimens is slower in low stress intensity factor range$({\Delta}K)$ region and faster in high ${\Delta}K$ region than that of the base metal specimens.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.453-462
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• 2000

Tailor-welded blanks are used for forming of automobile structural skin components. The main objective of this study is to achieve weight and cost reduction in manufacturing of components. For successful application of tailor-welded blanks, design of initial welded blanks and prediction of the welding line movement are critical. The utilization of the backward tracing scheme of the finite element method shows to be desirable in design of initial welded blanks for net-shape production and in prediction of the welding line movement. First the design of the initial blank in forming of welded thick sheet with isotropy is tried, and it appears successful in obtaining a net-shape stamping product. Based on the first trial approach, the backward tracing scheme is applied to anisotropic tailored blanks. The welding line movement is also discussed.

• 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 KWS Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.143-144
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• 1997