TROY, Mich., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The decrease of weight to improve fuel economy while increasing crashworthiness are demands among the top priorities of today's automotive OEMs. To combine those criteria, the use of High-Strength Steels (HSS), Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) and Aluminum is inevitable. However, in order to employ these complex metal structures intelligently, an in-depth understanding of the full vehicle as well as a comprehensive expertise in the areas of development, design and engineering, and die construction are required. Automotive OEMs and suppliers can find that capability at MBtech Group and MBtech Autodie. As a leading global engineering provider and die manufacturer, MBtech Group and MBtech Autodie offer turnkey "From Art-to-Part with High-Strength Steels (HSS), Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) and Aluminum" services for diverse industries worldwide with immediate effect. This competence will be showcased at the Regional Metalform in Birmingham, AL, from April 1-3, 2008.
The combined expertise of MBtech Group in Class A Surfacing & Technical Design and Body Development together with the competence and experience of MBtech Autodie in Metal Forming (Die Design & Engineering, Machining, Construction, Functional Tryout, Launch Support, Die Repair), enables MBtech to take its customers from Art-to-Part with High-Strength Steels (HSS), Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) and Aluminum meeting the highest quality requirements for complex sheet metal parts.
MBtech Group - MBtech Autodie excel in finding solutions to difficult metal forming problems by determining best material fits for specific applications, assessing formability (virtual and physical), accounting for geometrical limitations, coating and joining challenges, and resolving complex matters with spring back, splitting and wrinkling -- issues that are emphasized when dealing with High-strength steels (HSS), Advanced high- strength steels (AHSS) and Aluminum.
Together with Chrysler, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and Mercedes Group Research, MBtech engineers worked on a Light Weight Body Project. This advanced engineering project developed and then applied a new design process which was CAE lead with a holistic approach, and successfully applied advanced optimization techniques to achieve the project goal of significant weight reduction of the body-in-white using Advanced High-Strength Steels on the optimized load paths.
Due to numerous projects including R&D, MBtech Autodie - MBtech Group's tool & die expert based in Grand Rapids, MI -- has many years of valuable knowledge and experience in building dies producing aluminum, HSS, and AHSS parts. Examples of materials we have worked with are HSLA 50 KSI, HSLA 80 KSI, DP 490, DP 590, DP 600, DP 780, DP 980, LIP-980, TRIP 700, TRIP 780, TWIP 1000, and TWIP 1200. The state-of-the-art panels include body sides, doors, door rings, hoods, box sides, cowl sides, A-pillars, B-pillars, reinforcements, rails, sills, crossmembers, and tailor welded blanks made out of different materials. Selected panels will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the 2008 Regional Metalform Show in Birmingham, Alabama, April 1-3, 2008.
In addition to the exhibit, MBtech Group - MBtech Autodie will host a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on April 2, 2008, at its booth (# 473) to introduce the "From Art-to-Part with HSS, AHSS, and Aluminum" services.
More information about the products and services of MBtech Group - MBtech Autodie is available on www.mbtech-group.com and by email at info@mbtech-group-na.com.