Die materials for forging and Al casting at

Makoto Komori
Powertrain Production Engineering Div. Yokohama, JAPAN

1. Nissan current situation 2. Nissan challenges 3. Materials Nissan needs

1. Nissan current situation 2. Nissan challenges 3. Materials Nissan needs

Vision - NISSAN: Enriching people's lives

350Z X-TRAIL

MICRA

Mission - Nissan provides unique and innovative automotive products and services that deliver superior measurable values to all stakeholders in alliance with Renault.

Nissan production sites in Japan

Kyushu Plant Iwaki Plant Tochigi Plant

Tokyo HQ

Yokohama Plant
Technical Center Zama OC Oppama Plant Research Center

Forging dies
Process
Hot forging Semi hot forging Warm forging Cold forging
Hot forging line

Forging dies
Products

Axle parts Engine parts Hot forging Hot forging

Final drive parts Semi-Hot forging + Cold sizing

CVJ parts Warm forging + Cold sizing

Forging dies
Fractures

Fatal breakage

Low cycle fatigue

Forging dies
Surface damages

Wear

Heat crack

Erosion

Flake off

Die materials
Wear resistance
WC-Co

Cermet
PM-HSS

Warm forging (CVJ parts) Semi-hot forging (gears) Hot forging (hubs) Hot forging
H10 H13 1.2714

M2

Matrix HSS

(crankshaft, con-rod)

Toughness

Die materials
Less primary carbides Matrix HSS (57HRC)
Good wear resistance w/o cracking

M2 (60HRC)
Cracked immediately

H13 (48HRC)
Worn immediately

Die materials
Ceramics

Hardness (HV)

WC-Co Cermet HSS Tool Steels

KIC

(kgfmm-3/2)

Al casting dies
Process PDC SDC VDC LPDC
VDC line

Al casting dies
50s 60s
I/M (GDC) C/H (GDC)

70s
R/W (LPDC) C/H (LPDC)

80s

90s

00s

T/M (PDC)

C/B (LPDC) EMB (SDC) K/S (SDC) R/W (CF)

C/B (PDC)

L/L (VDC)

Al casting dies
Products

Engine cylinder block PDC

Al casting dies
Products
Upper Arm
Forging

Suspension Member
Press

Lower Link VDC Axle Housing SDC

Road Wheel
LPDC LPDC or or Forging Forging

Al casting dies
Damages

Heat crack

Breakage Adhesion

Soldering Crack from water channel

Die materials
at elevated temperature
WC-Co Cermet PM-HSS M2

Pins Cores

Strength

Matrix HSS

H10 H13 1.2714

Toughness

1. Nissan current situation 2. Nissan challenges 3. Materials Nissan needs

Global sales
Commitment in thousands of vehicles

forecast

forecast

New models release

Higher quality Profitable growth

New models New markets

Speed

New production sites etc.

Cost reduction

Higher quality Profitable growth

New models New markets

Speed

New production sites etc.

Cost reduction

Higher quality
A single word that captures the passion and commitment that has revived Nissan and drives our future. Everything we touch, we shift. And everything we shift, we try to make better and uniquely Nissan. What does "SHIFT_" mean at Nissan? SHIFT_ thinking changes the way we look at things, the way we do things and the way we react to life around us. It is more than kaizen. It's no longer about just doing, but doing for a purpose, doing effectively. It is change, but change driven for better, faster, higher performance. Our job is to create value, and we believe great products define a great carmaker. We are not afraid to take the lead at times or to stretch the boundaries in wider, better directions. When you change the way you look at reality, you will find that amazing things can happen. That's the NISSAN spirit -- the Nissan SHIFT_.

SHIFT_design

Premium Sports + SUV

Higher quality

HR15DE engine + CVT

20%
MR20DE engine + CVT

37%

Higher quality
Near Net Shaping
22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 50.0 Underfill /mm2 37 38 39 40 55.0 41 Mandrel diamet er / mm
20 . 0 00 - 22. 0 00 18 . 0 00 - 20. 0 00 16 . 0 00 - 18. 0 00 14 . 0 00 - 16. 0 00 12 . 0 00 - 14. 0 00 10 . 0 00 - 12. 0 00 8. 00 0 -1 0. 00 0 6. 00 0 -8 . 0 00 4. 00 0 -6 . 0 00 2. 00 0 -4 . 0 00

52.5

57.5 Esc ape hole diamet er / mm

60.0

Helical Gear

Die design with CAE

Speed
Die design with CAE
Automatic drawing

YOURS-PRO
Check-up quality

DEFORM

Die geometry

YOURS
Input finisher geometry

In-house FEM
Output optimized geometry

Transfer P, V, t

WEAR

Wear distribution

Preform optimization module

Automatic die design system

1. 2 1 0. 8 0. 6 0. 4 0. 2 0 18. 5 12. 5 15. 5 21. 5 -0. 2 24. 5 0. 5 3. 5 6. 5 9. 5 11 14 17 20 23 2 5 8 0-0 0-5000 0-10000 0-12000 C .T.0 12000 10000 5000

c.v.

Die wear prediction

Speed
20

EDM
V6 engine crankshaft die

L/D of cutting tool

15

Precision milling

10

L4 engine crankshaft die

CVJ warm forging punch CVJ sizing punch

5 Con-rod die

Inner lace die

Conventional milling

40

50

60

70

Hardness (HRC)

Surface modification
Surface temperature
Hot forging Abrasion Semi-hot forging Wear SDC Warm forging Wear Hot forging Plastic deformation PDC Soldering PDC Adhesion PDC Heat check Hot forging Wear

Ceramics Super alloy

Adhesion

HSS

Hot work steel

Nitriding

Fatigue crack

Damaged depth

Surface modification
Against soldering
Oxide film for Al casting dies

Nitriding + Oxide film Nitriding

Nitriding + Oxide film Nitriding 0 1 2 3 4

Weight loss ratio (%)

Surface modification
Surface temperature
PVD
Hot forging Abrasion Semi-hot forging Wear SDC Warm forging Wear Hot forging Plastic deformation PDC Soldering PDC Adhesion PDC Heat check Hot forging Wear

Ceramics Super alloy

Adhesion

HSS

Hot work steel

Nitriding

Fatigue crack

Damaged depth

Surface modification
Against wear at the temperature more than Ac1 of die steel <0.5mm heat affected at the near surface
PVD coating for hot forging
3500 3000 Hardness (HV) 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 R.T 700x1h 800x1h TiAlN New coating CrN TiN H13 nitrided H13

Surface modification
Surface temperature
Hot forging Abrasion Semi-hot forging Wear SDC Warm forging Wear Hot forging Plastic deformation PDC Soldering PDC Adhesion PDC Heat check Hot forging Wear

Ceramics Super alloy

Adhesion

Cladding

HSS

Hot work steel

Nitriding

Fatigue crack

Damaged depth

Surface modification
Against wear at the temperature more than Ac1 of die steel >0.5mm heat affected at the near surface
Heat resist alloy cladding for hot forging

Tool steel

Heat resist alloy

1. Nissan current situation 2. Nissan challenges 3. Materials Nissan needs

Low deviation of high toughness

6 5 Frequency 4 3 2 1 0 <2000 <4000 <6000 <8000 Die life <10000 <12000 <14000 Brekage Wear Ave. 6,700 Ave. 10,000 (only wear)

Die life deviation of NNS hot forging

Low deviation of high toughness

6 5 Frequency 4 3 2 1 0 <2000 <4000 <6000 <8000 Die life <10000 <12000 <14000 Brekage Wear Ave. 6,700 Ave. 10,000 (only wear)

Die life deviation of NNS hot forging

Higher performance after surface modification

Damaged depth Elevated temperature Applied surface modification Nitriding Sulphonitriding Oxide film Nitriding + Heat-resist hard coating Heat-resistmaterial cladding or inserts Surface modification needs Deeper case Partial heat treatment Coating on the interior of deep cavity HAZ reduction Auto-cladding

Die material needs

< 0.5mm

< Ac1 of die material > Ac1 of die material

Deeper case

Higher Ac1 Higher thermal conductivity Less properties loss in HAZ High performance clad material

> 0.5mm

Available hardened / rough machined delivery

Raw material Rough machine According to drawings According to drawings According to drawings Oil or air quench Outsource Oil or HPG quench Hardening Finishing Oil quench Surface treatment

Forging dies (Larger) Forging dies (Smaller) Casting dies (General) Casting dies (Against heat crack)

Material suppliers responsibilities

Win Win Partnership

NISSAN responsibilities

Maximized its properties by heat treatment Material + Heat treatment

High impact toughness Less dimension changes Homogeneous hardness distribution No crack after the heat treatment done by a 200mm 400mm 450mm

recommended heat treater Even H13 must get better properties with excellent heat treatment!

Good machinability

PDC core machined from the H13 block hardened to 43HRC

Tool steels Nissan needs

Low deviation of high toughness Higher performance after surface modification Available hardened / rough machined delivery Maximized its properties by heat treatment Good machinability

SHIFT_die materials

Thank you for your attention! We look forward to proposals.