Resource efficient production of car body parts - implementation of digital twins across process chains

Sustainable production and environmentally friendly life cycle of every car is a main goal in the automotive industry. But there is a conflict between the rising demands of crash safety, the addition of components due to electric mobility and the reduction of weight. Car body parts can increase the crash safety and have a high lightweight construction potential. Especially tailor welded blanks made of multi-phase steel with a tensile strength of 1000 MPa, which are not established in car body parts, have the potential to improve the crash safety, save resources and lower the weight. The main challenge in the manufacturing of tailor welded blanks made of highest strength steel is the complex and expensive development. Due to the heat input and geometrical changes, the welding process affects the forming properties of the metal sheets. To evaluate the influence from different welding parameters to the forming process, a high number of expensive experiments must be repeated. This includes welding and forming parameter changes as well as adjustments to the forming tool. In order to make the development and manufacturing of tailor welded blanks made of highest strength steels more resource efficient, this work discusses the development and implementation of a digital and bidirectional twin in an industry-oriented environment. The objective is to demonstrate the data management based on the sheet metal properties, the change of properties due to laser welding simulated in Simufact Welding and the final forming process in AutoForm Forming. Additionally, the concept of a life cycle assessment of a tailor welded blank during these steps is developed. As summary the challenges, limitations, and improvements of the digital and bidirectional twin as replacement or, in addition to a consisting development process are discussed.