Flexible forming for cheaper car parts

A system for producing a variety of vehicle components on one processing lone has been developed by a European research consortium. The EU-funded PROFORM project has built a flexible roll forming lone that incorporates laser ad electromagnetic forming systems. This enables vehicle sections to be created with curved, conical shapes, such as cross bars, bumpers, frames and side members. The concept is applicable for 20% of the body in white and is cost effective for small or medium production rates upto 100,000 parts a year, explains Maria Angeles Gutierrez of Spanish research organization Labein-Tecnalia, whioch coordinated the project.

-Materials World magazine