The project objective is to introduce deep tech innovation in the automotive manufacturing sector by taking advantage of innovative die manufacturing and Big Data/Artificial Intelligence technologies. We adapt them to our purposes and demonstrate its disruptive approach to smart continuous-like hot-stamping processes by setting the positive business case and good quality. RUSHAI's value proposition to OEMs and hot-stampers is based on the unique combination of advanced manufacturing press tooling and intelligent quality monitoring in real time for hot-stamping with unique features. From the very beginning, the Consortium aimed their R&D efforts at developing a unique solution like no other technology in the market, with the following innovative advantages:
a) Versatility: It is applicable for BIW and chassis, for 22MnB5, 27MnCrB5, and 37MnB4 steel grades. RUSHAI allows hot-stamping of tailored components, not possible with SoA hot-stamping technology.
b) Weight reduction: with newly developed UHSS of up to 2,000 MPa, 30% of the weight can be reduced while achieving the same performance (e.g. a 1.6 mm thickness component can be manufactured with 1.1 mm thickness). Extremely fast cooling by RUSHAI technology promotes a very high and homogenous component quality, even for ultra-high strength steels (1800-2000 MPa).
c) Component Cost Reduction: E.g. B-Pillar components are manufactured today at an average hot stamping cost of €1.9-3.5 €/part (excluding raw material and post-stamping costs). Based on the manufacturing cycle time, material savings and scrap reductions of RUSHAI technology a cost of 1.1-2.2 €/produced component can be achieved.
d) Production: With a similar investment price (between 2-6M€ per line), the production output is increased by 3. The production of larger components enables a reduction of assembly steps.
e) Safety: The unique real-time quality control monitoring system, based on Big Data /AI technology, enables close to 100% quality assurance at each single point of each produced component, instead of a destructive and localised batch quality control. The integrated RUSHAI system incorporates an intelligent (predictive) and self-corrective online quality control monitoring system with developed temperature sensors, coupled to a Big Data/Artificial Intelligence engine that will be able to map in real-time and online the temperature of the die’s surface and correlate it directly with the final microstructure and properties of each component manufactured.
f) Tool lifetime can be extended by 50% (up to 700K strokes). Due to ultra-fast energy removal, the mechanical and thermal solicitation on the die is significantly reduced compared to current technology.
g) Flexibility and scalability, the sector is demanding more and more BIW parts to be hot-stamped. RUSHAI technology allows for the reshaping of dies in order to accommodate to the requirements of new hot-stamping projects.
h) RUSHAI can upgrade existing manufacturing lines, facilitating adoption not only through the construction of new production lines, but also by upgrading existing ones.
i) The novel hot-stamping configuration prevents the production of defective components, as defects and can be avoided nearly completely through the real-time quality detection system based on Big Data / AI Technology.
j) Energy savings: Cycle time reduction, which will allow significant savings in the costs and energy consumption of the components production and will also increase productivity; fewer production lines will be necessary for the same output quantity, with the associated reduction in carbon footprint. Along with the production of larger, thinner and tailored properties components in the automotive sector, enabling a significant reduction of vehicle weight and CO2 emissions.
