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Minimization of part variation has been a challenging topic for both researchers and engineers. Variations in final stamping parts could come from numerous sources such as incoming material, lubricant, processing parameters, environment, automation, etc. Identifying the cause of the variations is not only time consuming, but also a continuously changing process. In this paper, experiments are reviewed which were conducted to examine the feasibility of implementing closed-loop process control to reduce dimensional variations on an in-production 3D part. Specifically, the effects of punch force (PF) and binder force (BF) on part dimensions are studied. For our particular application, proper control of both PF and BF is necessary to control the dimensional variations of the part.

Tailor welded blanks offer a unique opportunity to reduce manufacturing costs, decrease vehicle weight, and improve the quality of stampings through the consolidation of multiple formed, then welded, parts into a single stamping. However, tearing near the weld line often occurs in this type of blank when formed with a traditional deep drawing process. Therefore, some adaptation to the existing sheet metal forming process must be developed in order to reap the numerous benefits available from tailor welded blanks. In this paper, numerical simulation are presented for a newly contrived tailor welded blank forming process where several hydraulic mechanisms apply distinct clamping forces along the weld line during forming. Excellent results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.