Hot Forging Tool Design for a Magnesium Alloy Front Lower Control Arm
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Date
2018-10-22
Authors
Abesin Kodippili, Tharindu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
In an effort to improve fuel economy standards in the automotive industry, the use of lightweight materials to manufacture fatigue-critical components is investigated by a large group at the University of Waterloo. Prior research into the development of a front lower control arm made of a magnesium alloy has produced a design approximately 35% lighter in mass to its cast aluminum benchmark. A hot forging tool was designed and developed to produce forgings of this control arm design in a single-hit operation. The as-forged component will have has a shape of a near-complete arm with excess flash, requiring subsequent trimming and finishing operations. The tool was designed for a low-volume production rate and batch size – tool wear was neglected – at a maximum operational temperature of 400°C and a loading capacity of 1600 tonnes. The tool design was successfully validated using thermal and mechanical simulations. Forging materials and conditions were initially chosen based on literature. At a later time, an analytical material selection model or objective function was developed by other members involved in the project. As part of a secondary study, the structural and fatigue behaviour of the control arm forged at conditions selected using the analytical model were evaluated to gauge its effectiveness as a selection tool. Results were inconclusive due to lack of complete material models. However, through simulation, it was shown that a control arm forged at 250℃ using an extruded AZ80 alloy will meet OEM performance requirements.
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Keywords
Hot Forging Tool Design