Efficient manufacturing methods for hybrid metal-polymer components

Lightweight design for automotive applications gains more and more importance for future products, independent from the powertrain concept. One of the key issues in lightweight design is to utilize the right material for the right application using the right value at the right place. This results irrevocably in a multi-material design. In order to increase the efficiency in manufacturing car components, the number of single parts in a component is decreased by increasing the complexity. Examples for the state of the art are tailored welded blanks in cold forming, tailored tempering in press hardening or metallic inlays in injection molding of polymers. The challenge for future production scenarios of multi-material components is to combine existing technologies for metal- and polymer-based applications in efficient hybrid process chains. This paper shows initial approaches of hybrid process chains for efficient manufacturing of hybrid metal-polymer components. These concepts are feasible for flat as well as for tubular applications. Beside the creation of the final geometric properties of the component by a forming process, integrated joining operations are increasingly required for the efficiency of the production process and the performance characteristics of the final component. Main target of this production philosophy is to create 100% ready-to-install components. This is shown in three examples for hybrid process combinations. The first example deals with the combination of metal forming and injection molding of polymers. Example number two is the application of hybrid metal-polymer blanks. Finally, example number three shows the advantages of process integrated forming and joining of single basic components.