The primary load-carrying structures in transport equipment are typically complex welded constructions in thick section steel. Future designs of structures for use in transport equipment and vehicles with low Life Cycle Costs will require that attention be given to a number of critical issues. The competing demands associated with lead-time, cost, quality and fuel consumption need to be set against those of durability and structural integrity, particularly fatigue resistance in order to produce competitive products. As this will require advanced design in high strength steels and a radically new approach to production for this industry sector the focus in this project is to reduce production costs by fabricating components with high-speed processes without a reduction of fatigue strength.
The main objective for Volvo in IPCIM is to investigate if Laser Welding in thick sections may be a candidate for production of different structural members in construction machinery. The for-seen technical and economical achievements for laser-welded components can be stated as:
Reduction of structural weight by 10 %
Reduction of production cost by 15 %
The status of the project related to Volvo is that stress analysis are performed confirming that if we get the planned geometry of the welds in beam structures the target will be met. Welding trials at TWI on test pieces are performed and the test pieces is fatigue tested tat KRH in Stockholm with good results, a technical report is written. Welding trials and fatigue testing of a structural member to a frame will be started next year and if the results for-seen in the stress analysis are met the technical and economical achievements are expected to be fulfilled.
If the requirement is met there will be several components within Volvo CE or from external supplier who may be candidate for Laser welding. The risk for the Volvo application is that, if the required quality of the weld not will be met in the project, the current MAG-weld processes will be still in operation.