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www.ADandP.media AD&P; ∕ JANUARY 2016 NOTABLE While the technique of "hot stamping" steel is fnding increased applica- tion in body-in-white applications (some of the steels are too hard to form otherwise), just as aluminum is making inroads into body engineering— inside and out—it turns out that hot forming aluminum is being developed. That's the word from Schuler Group ( schulergroup.com ), the developer of forming equipment for an array of automotive applications. Apparently, high-strength aluminum alloys also present a challenge when it comes to forming. With cold forming, there is a limit to the types of geometries that can be achieved. However, with hot forming of sheet in specially designed forming dies, there are increased opportunities in terms of part shapes. Schuler, which has been providing systems for hot- stamped steel production, is developing the wherewithal to be a supplier of systems for aluminum, as well. Parameters that need to be controlled include not only the forming pressure, but material temperature control, as well. Hot Forming Aluminum Hot aluminum can be formed more extensively than cold aluminum. Schuler is developing systems to produce hot- stamped aluminum parts. real control." He experienced getting familiar with the powerful and thus complex software as being straightforward: "We got to where we wanted a lot faster." Among the components developed and produced are undercarriage parts and crankshaft housings. They also regularly make modifcations to existing parts between the races. Said Lienert, "Programming in NX CAM and simultaneous sim- ulation of the programs in the DMG MORI Virtual Machine saves a tremendous amount of time, as errors in my programming work or even possible collisions are displayed instantly." It also means that there isn't a need to try out the program on the actual machines, which saves a tremendous amount of time. One feature on both of the machines is called "CELOS," it is a control-independent interface developed by DMG MORI that includes a variety of apps. At Porsche Motorsports, Jahn said, "Based on photos, we record components as well as clamping devices in CELOS and manage cut edges and tools." Another beneft is that it facilitates the required seamless documentation in production. The DMG MORI Virtual Machine simulates the programs written by Dittmar Lienert in Siemens NX CAM 1:1. Jahn is very pleased with the capability that they've developed: "With the DMG MORI process chain and CELOS, we program, simulate and produce any complex parts for our racing cars incredibly fast and error-free." He suggests that it helps provide the drivers with a "head start" for the gruelling races at venues like Le Mans This is an example of the type of aluminum parts that can be produced with a Schuler hot forming system. 11