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2013
Conference Paper
Titel
Metal forming-challenges from a green perspective
Abstract
Regarding the increase in world population the satisfaction of needs concerning the limited availability of raw materials such as oil, ore or water reaches an alarming level. This situation is intensified by the increased consumption orientation of developing and emerging countries towards industrial countries. This clearly anticipates global distribution conflicts on remaining resources. Therefore, from 2001 up until now the world-wide demand for raw materials has dramatically increased and raw materials have become rarer and more expensive. The share of raw material costs regarding the overall production costs is already considerably higher than the cost factor labour. A main challenge for industrial businesses is the development of strategies to reduce costs, resource and energy input as well as emissions. This means to produce the most possible out of the input raw material and energy. In order to fulfil this principle a paradigm change is necessary: "maximum profit through minimum investment" has to be displaced by "maximum profit through minimum resource input". Due to their characteristics, the use of forming processes in manufacturing processes offers the potential for significant resource savings. In the following chapters, the focus will be on car manufacturing processes, that means innovative technologies for the realization of car body and powertrain components will be presented. In addition to the potentials for improving resource efficiency in car manufacturing as well as in car operation, challenges connected with these technologies will be discussed.