Hot forming has become an important tool for the automotive industry, the technique being used to meet specifi c requirements in crash safety and vehicle weight reductions. Many automotive manufacturers use these processes to produce body structure components such as A- and B-pillars, tunnels, front and rear bumper beams and door beams, components that have the highest strength requirements. Hot forming can overcome the tendency of high-strength steels to springback if pressed in a conventional stamping processes, with components stamped at elevated temperatures AutoForm Engineering, a leading supplier of software solutions for the sheet metal forming, has developed an innovative solution for hot forming simulation. AutoFormplus R1 supports direct and indirect hot forming, as well as other processes which involve temperature or strain-rate dependent material. Hot forming is both temperature and time dependent, therefore simulation is more complex when compared to conventional stamping processes. AutoFormplus R1 has been enhanced to include thermomechanical processes, making it possible to simulate hot forming. Dr. Waldemar Kubli, CEO of AutoForm Engineering: “Our solution for hot forming brings a new set of benefi ts to our users. By applying our innovative technology, they can effectively simulate the hot forming process. Thus, components with high strength, high geometrical complexity and minimized springback effects can be produced in shorter time at lower cost.”

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