Great Designs in Steel

Advanced High-Strength Steels

in Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars

Wolfgang Staufner
Feb. 19th, 2003
Advanced High Strength Steels in
Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars

• Introduction
• New High Strength Steels
• Application in Mercedes-Benz Cars
• Multi-Material Concept
• Conclusion
Ojectives for Material Evolution

• Improvement of crash resistance

• Reduction of fuel consumption

• Optimization of recycling, emission etc.

• Robust processes for high volume production

at reduced costs
 Motivation for Weight Savings

Reduction of Fuel Consumption Weight Increase of BIW

240 10,00

140 126 % 109 % 103 %

NEFZ-Gas Consumption [gCO22/km]

Gas Consumption * [l/100 km]

220 DC-AG Self Commitment : -30%
9,00
%
200
8,00 100
180
80
7,00
160 60
ACEA Self Commitment: -25%
140
6,00 40

202
203

215
140

140
220
20
120 5,00
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 0
* Percentage of Diesel Engines approximately ~ 20% C-Class S-Class S-Class
Coupé
Overview of Different Steel Grades

Deep Drawing Steel

High

TRIP Steel
Hot Stamped Steel
Formability

Structural Steel Dual Phase Steel

HSLA Steel
Complex Phase Steel
Low

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100
Yield Strength
 Dual Phase Steel (DP 500/600)

Current applications:
• Former E-Class: Reinforcement shocktower
Hinge reinforcement door
• C-Class: Engine cross member
• E-Class/SLK: Engine cradle rear cross member

Properties:
Ferrite, Martensite
• Good stretch forming properties due to high
strain
hardening
• Good fatigue resistance
• Possible for visible parts (continous yielding)
Complex Phase Steel (CP 800)
USAB

Current application:
•S-class coupé: B-post reinforcement
cross member

Properties:
Ferrite, Martensite and Bainite
• Only hot rolled available
• High yield strength
• Limited formability
• Hardened and coated dies necessary
• Special steels for cutting necessary
• High press forces necessary
 TRIP Steel
(Transformation Induced Plasticity)

Will be used:
Next A-class, S-class, C-class

Properties
Retained Austenite, Ferrite & Martensite
• High workhardening potential
• Good formability (relative to tensile
strength)
• High springback
• High press forces necessary
• Problems with secondary forming
 TRIP Steel
High Workhardening Potential

800

For optimum weight savings,

TRIP800
simulation of stamping process
Stress σ in MPa

600
DP500

050XK
is necessary
400
180 AT

DDQSK

200

0 10 20 30 40 50
Strain ε [%]
TRIP Steel
Stamping Try-out

• High forces for cutting necessary.

• Cracks after secondary forming.

• Cracks in areas of rectangular blank-

cutting after first forming.
Cracks
• Springback:
Mild Steel +0%
DP500 +250%
TRIP 700 +310%
TRIP 800 +420%
Martensitic Steel
Side Impact Beam

Weight reduction
Advantage compared to tube
1,2kg/vehicle
Martensitic Steel,
Cold Stamped

ThyssenKruppStahl, MSW 1200

Martensitic Steel
Hot Stamped

Will be used:
Next M-class, S-class, C-class

Properties:
• Martensite structure (after hot forming and
quenching in the die)
• Forming at 900 °C in one step with no blank
holder TRIP 700 ZE 75/75 PH
• Little forming forces necessary DP 500 ZE 75/75
• Relatively complex parts can be formed THM 280 Z140
• Maximum strength through martensitic ZStE 340 ZE 75/0
structure ZStE 180 BH ZE 75/75
• No springback due to cooling in the closed
die
 Hot Stamping Process
Production Line of Sofedit, France

Possible
Applications
3
4 Verstärkungen B-Säule
(Usibor 1500 P)
2 1 Verstärkung B-Säule
unten (ZStE 340)

Längsträger
(Usibor 1500 P)

1. 22MnB5, Hot Dip Aluminized

2. Heating 900°C
3. Forming and Hardening
4. Punching
Better Performance Through Adhesive
Bonding

kN

15
Adhesive: BM 1494
Substrat: Mild Steel Clinching
v = 10 mm/min Bonazinc/Elo-Zink
CLK
K
10

PSK
Force F

Clinching
Clinch-
Spotwelding
bonding
Adhesive Bonding
5 Spotwelding+AB
PS Clinching+AB

C
0 L
0 5 10 15 20

mm
Elongation s
 Multi-Material Concept
S-Class Coupe
Steel
Aluminium
Magnesium
Plastic

Al-Extrusions

Al-Sheet
Al-Die-Casting

Al-Die-Casting

Al-Die-Casting
Mg-Die-Casting Al-Extrusions
Al-Sheet
Strong Increase of Aluminum Usage
Introduction of New E-Class

25
Anual Aluminum Usage/ 1000 t

andere
20
C-Class

E-Class
15
SL

S-Class
10
S-Class, Coupe

0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Conclusion

•Strong Increase of Advanced High Strength Steels in

Future Mercedes-Benz Cars Means:
•Weight Savings with Moderat Cost Increase
•Higher Tolerances for Press Parts (High
Springback)
•Higher Forming Forces
•Adopted Joining and Corrosion Protection
Technologies Necessary

•Challenging Objectives for Weight-Savings Can Only

be Met With Multi-Material Concept
“GREAT DESIGNS IN STEEL”

„How much
further are these
new ideas going
to take us?“