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Ceramic manufacturing tools align with HSS

The use of high-strength steel (HSS) is increasing in popularity with automakers that are using it to manufacture lighter cars to help reduce fuel consumption. However, using HSS complicates the forming process.

Due to the heavy mechanical load, the matrix wears out more quickly with HSS than with conventional sheet metals. Molds have to be manufactured with extreme precision, which is expensive. A possible solution is to replace the tooling steel with high-performance ceramics in areas that are subjected to the particularly high forces.

Ceramic material is harder than steel and exhibits resistance to high-wear applications. Working in cooperation with partners from research and industry, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) has demonstrated a way of producing high-performance ceramic inserts. The advantage of the material is also a drawback. High-performance ceramics are so hard that they can be worked only with diamond.

"The complex shape of the inserts represents a special challenge. This is where we need new process technologies," said Andreas Weber, IPT project coordinator.

The Fraunhofer team has identified three conventional methods suitable for working ceramics and has optimized them for its own purposes. The best results were achieved with jig grinding, a method in which a small, rapidly rotating grinding tool moves across the ceramic part to create the desired shape.

The use of ceramic-reinforced forming tools is beneficial when producing a large numbers of parts, according to IPT.