Materials Technology – Flexible profiles are
on a roll
on a roll
Daimler Research Award Finalist
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Roll forming – i.e. the cold rolling of steel sections – is a component forming method that is increasingly being used in the automotive industry. A group of researchers, developers, and technical planners at Daimler have introduced “flexible roll forming” as a new internal production technology. They’ve also developed additional technological modules for this process.
Thanks to a high level of material utilization and low tool costs, roll forming offers solid economic benefits over deep drawing, especially when forming components of differing lengths and cuts. The procedure offers a further benefit in that it can be used to process new and very high-strength steels with great accuracy. That not only reduces vehicle body weight; it also enhances crash safety.
Basic work on the “Flexibly Rolled Structural Components” project commenced in 2002. After its completion, the project was a finalist for the 2007 Daimler Research Award. Also last year, a pilot facility was built in Sindelfingen, and it’s now benefiting research, development, and series production. This unparalleled implementation of innovative manufacturing strategies makes Daimler a leader in the automotive industry.
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