Official Homepage of the resarch Protubend [RFSR-CT-2009-00017]
Flexible and cost-effective innovative manufacturing of complex 3Dbent tubes
and profiles made of high-strength steels for automotive lightweight structures
The realization of ultra-light, economically and ecologically oriented component structures with contour complexity in automotive industry necessitates the use of profiles and tubes from new steel grades. An unsolved problem so far is the cost-effective and reliable manufacturing of these components. Therefore, the aim of the project is to advance two new forming processes for an industrial use capable of forming and bending load-optimised 3D-tubes and profiles made of high- and ultrahigh- strength steel. They offer the opportunity of a free selection and reliable manufacturing of the bending contour. The superposition of stresses increases the process stability and predictability by minimization of springback.
The research leading to these results has received funding from the Research Program of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel [RFSR-CT-2009-00017].