Research Area

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To overcome the low ductility and formability of aluminium alloys in automotive industry, hot stamping has become a novel process to form complex-shaped components. HFQ process, as a new forming process, has many advantages in improving the forming limit and avoiding of shape deformation. However, flange wrinkling and fracture are the two major problems in HFQ process.

Texture surface of dies can change the friction coefficient of the interface and reduce the heat loss during the connection between the blank and dies. Through the design and optimisation of textures on the dies, the material flow direction can be controlled which can avoid the wrinkling and achieve the uniform thickness distribution.

The research mainly focuses on the design and optimization of textures through FEM simulation, further experiments will be conducted to certify the effects of the textures. Finally, a theory of effects of textures surfaces on the material flow will be obtained.

Research Keywords

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• Aluminium Alloys
• Hot stamping
• Texture surfaces
• Simulation

Qualifications

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BEng and MSc in Material Science and Technology

Contact Details

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Tel: (+44) (0)2075 949080
Email: KZ313@imperial.ac.uk