Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference - MAMC 2022

Abstract: Additive Manufacturing challenges in Fine Blanking in Faurecia Seating

Lead time and cost reductions are key objectives in the Automotive Industry ,and it is particularly important for tooling spare parts .Reducing inventories gives a balance between stocks versus avoid mis-deliveries to final customers; reduce volume of stored spares can occur a positive financial ratio towards product cost break-down to keep competitiveness. For the last decades, the trend was to increase technical feasibility with additive manufacturing in various fields of mechanical industry (i.e. plastic molding devices, aerospace machined components, measurement jigs, ends devices for robotic, ….) thanks to low carbon or specific alloys. A new trend initiated in the last 3 years for development of alloyed powder and specific new development of machines allows to manufacture parts with high carbon and heavy alloy contents, in order to achieve higher mechanical properties as 62HRc. This opened the field of stamping tool application. Faurecia Automotive Seat Structure and Systems start to develop solution for Fine blanking applications, jointly with Tooling steel manufacturers, to stay at least competitive in tooling cost-wise, and, also develop new way of concept for tool spare design. From science to reality, deep experimental and fundamental investigations are led in Faurecia Advance Manufacturing team. Recent industrial demonstrators reach the industrial target score in term of lifetime. Scientific and industrial results are reviewed in this presentation, which is illustrated by metallurgical lab reports, manufacturing analysis, effective application is mass production and innovative realization in fine blanking field.