42nd International Deep Drawing Research Group Conference - IDDRG 2023

Flexible Roll Forming (FRF) is an advanced manufacturing process that can be used to form long and complex part families from hard to form materials for the automotive and truck industry. However, depending on the part complexity and material strength shape defects such as end flare, springback and twist can occur. In this work a high strength truck member (frame rails) is produced from AHSS; the complex component combines shape variations in width and depth. To overcome flange wrinkling a new forming approach is introduced that includes the forming of a top hat shape to provide an additional stiffness in the flange edge. In addition to this a flexible over forming technique is applied to overcome end flare and springback. The experimental results are evaluated and discussed with numerical analysis and suggest that the presented forming technology enables the manufacture of high strength components in accordance to automotive specifications and quality standards.