Glass4AutoFuture: Modeling thermal-mechanical dynamics in vacuum-assisted deep drawing of 3D thin glass components for automotive interiors

The future of mobility is being shaped by autonomous, electrified, and energy-efficient vehicles, with glass increasingly replacing traditional materials like metals and polymers due to its lightweight, durable, and aesthetically appealing characteristics. Meeting the rising demand for complex shapes, high precision, and cost-efficient production of glass components in the automotive industry requires innovative processing technologies. This work presents a vacuum-assisted deep drawing process for manufacturing thin glass display covers for automotive interiors. To address challenges in thin glass forming, such as glass thinning, edge wrinkles, and shape accuracy, a numerical simulation model was developed. The model integrates the thermal and mechanical aspects of glass and molding tool materials, focusing on the viscoelastic behavior of glass at high forming temperatures. A finite strain material model accounts for time, temperature, and strain rate dependencies, while nonlinear thermal-mechanical interactions at the glass-tool interface are captured using a novel method for simultaneously determining contact heat transfer and friction coefficients. Experimental validation demonstrated the model’s ability to achieve high precision, reduce glass failures, and reliably optimize the process. By identifying critical factors influencing glass thinning, this research offers valuable insights into advancing thin glass processing technologies to meet the precision demands of future automotive applications.