Daniel Huber, head of Division Hydraulic at Schuler, explains that, compared to forming aluminum, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics and dual phase steels, this technology is an “inexpensive” alternative for lightweight automobile construction.
Chinese automobile manufacturers and automotive suppliers, such as Shanghai Superior Die Technology Co., Ltd. (SSDT) or Baowei are “increasingly” turning to hot stamping,” adds Oemer Akyazici, chief of Schuler China.
The method involves heating sheet steel blanks to 930 degrees and cooling them during forming, with the technology first introduced to large series production of the Ford Sierra in Europe and the Ford Mercury in the USA.
In 2006, the body of the Volkswagen Passat was the first to use twelve press hardened components. To allow this to happen, Schuler had built six hot stamping lines within the shortest possible time – something which Hubber says “laid the foundation for growth that is still continuing”.
He adds: "Schuler identified this development at an early stage, and set up a Competence Centre for press hardening at our Waghäusel site in the year 2006.”
