ToughSteel Workshop ................................................................................................pag

New testing methodologies to evaluate the fracture toughness of metal sheets and case studies presented during the 39th National Conference of AIM

Project partners David Frómeta (Eurecat), Michele Maria Tedesco (CRF) and Pär Jonsén (Luleå University of Technology) participated in a ToughSteel-dedicated workshop during the 39th National Conference of the Italian Association for Metallurgy (AIM), which was celebrated on 21st-23rd September in Padova (Italy).

During the workshop, David Frómeta, Head of Eurecat’s mechanical behaviour group and project coordinator, provided a general overview of the ToughSteel project and talked about the experimental evaluation of the essential work of fracture and its application to understanding crack-related problems in the sheet metal industry. The adoption of this methodology contributes to promoting the use of new metallic materials with enhanced properties and avoiding fractures during the manufacturing stage, as well as once the component is in service.

As for Michele Maria Tedesco, Metals manager at CRF Stellantis presented two case studies in which the Essential Work of Fracture methodology was applied in the automotive sector to improve the material used under seats beams to absorb crash energy and limit crash intrusion; and as aluminum reinforcement.

Pär Jonsén, Professor at Lulea Technology Unversity, gave a talk about numerical modelling of shear cutting in high

strength sheets. More precisely, he discussed the plasticity, damage and cracks in numerical modelling, as well as the simulations of shear cutting.

During the event it was also promoted the Open Call of the project, open until October 31st. Through the OpenCall ToughSteel will provide to the industrial applicants a full fracture toughness material characterization in accordance with the EWF methodology to solve the cracking problems such as edgecracking, flangeability or crashworthiness issues.

AIM National Conference is the reference initiative for company technicians, researchers and academics working in the metallurgical field. The 2022 edition has acquired a particular significance in light of the post-pandemic recovery and the increasingly strategic and transversal role that metallurgical disciplines play in the context of ecological transition, sustainable mobility, circular economy, increasingly more performance high demands on any mechanical component.