SFB 666:  Integral Sheet Metal Design with Higher Order Bifurcations - Development, Production, Evaluation

• Subject Area: Mechanical and Industrial Engineering ; Materials Science and Engineering ; Mathematics
• Term: from 2005 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 13000367

In the Collaborative Research Centre methods, processes and machinery facilities are to be developed in order to optimise the function and the load of bifurcated structures with an integral sheet metal design. The main focus of research is to generate new methods for the development of multi-purpose products, using innovative manufacturing approaches. This research project provides helpful information concerning requirements, design, product manufacturing and product assessment. It also includes a version of the product developed via virtual technology.
The project is structured in three different groups: product development, product manufacturing and product assessment. Methods from the areas of mathematics, mechanical engineering and material sciences are used in close cooperation in order to reach one common objective. In the first phase of product development, new algorithmic methods are utilised, under constant mathematical optimisation and application of graph theories. The optimal boundary conditions for a given product are to be digitally calculated, using the models developed for that purpose.
In order to implement the solutions found for the production of real products, production processes which allow the manufacturing of bifurcated structures in integral sheet metal design are to be established. New flow-splitting processes combined with milling and joining enable the realisation of product classes with completely new features. In the first phase the main objective is to produce profiles made of bifurcated sheet metal in a continuous production process.
The product features are evaluated using experimental and numerical methods. First the emphasis is placed on mechanical criteria, such as strength and stability. Later, thermodynamic functions and fluid mechanical functions should be integrated.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres

Completed projects

• A01 - Transformation of market requirements into product properties (Project Heads Gramlich, Sebastian ;  Kirchner, Eckhard A. )
• A02 - Mathematical models and algorithms for an automated product development of branched sheet metal products (Project Heads Pfetsch, Marc Emanuel ;  Ulbrich, Stefan )
• A03 - Optimale Verzweigungsstrukturen unter Fertigungsrestriktionen (Project Head Martin, Alexander )
• A04 - Development of modeling functions for bifurcated sheet metal products (Project Head Anderl, Reiner )
• A05 - Information model for simultaneous engineering of non-linear parametric sheet metal products with bifurcated structures (Project Head Anderl, Reiner )
• A06 - Simulation-based optimization methods for the deep drawing of branched structures (Project Head Ulbrich, Stefan )
• B01 - Enhancing process limits of bend-splitting (Project Head Groche, Peter )
• B02 - Grundlagen des Spaltbiegens (Project Head Groche, Peter )
• B03 - Machining of coil material using HSC technology (Project Head Abele, Eberhard )
• B04 - Production of branched profiles through integrated forming, cutting and joining operations (Project Heads Abele, Eberhard ;  Groche, Peter )
• B05 - Deep Drawing of Bifurcated Sheet Metals (Project Head Groche, Peter )
• B06 - Technologien der Randschichtmodifikation von Spaltprofilen (Project Heads Heilmaier, Martin ;  Müller, Clemens )
• C01 - Microstructures and mechanical properties of bifurcated sheet metal structures (Project Heads Müller, Clemens ;  Xu, Bai-Xiang )
• C02 - Integration of new mathematical methods in the determination of the structural durability of integral sheet components (Project Heads Hanselka, Holger ;  Kohler, Michael ;  Melz, Tobias )
• C03 - Computer aided part optimization with numerical process chain analysis (Project Heads Groche, Peter ;  Hanselka, Holger ;  Kaufmann, Heinz ;  Ulbrich, Stefan )
• C04 - Transformation von technologischen Erkenntnissen in Produkteigenschaften und systematisches Ableiten von Innovationspotenzialen (Project Head Birkhofer, Herbert )
• C05 - Evaluation of the subsequent formability of split profiles (Project Head Müller, Clemens )
• D01 - Development, evaluation and optimization of motion guides with linear flow-split running surfaces (Project Heads Hanselka, Holger ;  Kloberdanz, Hermann ;  Lipp, Klaus )
• D02 - Systematic Generation of Surface Structures (Project Head Schäfer, Stefan )
• MGK - Integriertes Graduiertenkolleg (Project Head Bruder, Enrico )
• T01 - Beherrschen von Toleranzfeldern beim Spalt- und Walzprofilieren (Project Head Groche, Peter )
• T02 - HSC - Bandkantenbearbeitung in der Rohr- und Pipelineindustrie (Project Head Abele, Eberhard )
• T03 - Abschätzung zyklischer Kennwerte für Aluminium (Sprüh- und Knetlegierungen) mittels künstlich neuronaler Netze unter Einbindung metallographischer und fertigungstechnischer Kenngrößen (Project Head Hanselka, Holger )
• T04 - Evaluation of the structural durability considering the process-induced influences and variable amplitude loading (Project Heads Hanselka, Holger ;  Melz, Tobias )
• T05 - HSC-Milling strategies for the machining of rail material in the track construction industry (Project Head Abele, Eberhard )
• T07 - Stringer Sheet Forming for Car Body Construction (Project Head Groche, Peter )
• Z - Central Tasks (Project Head Groche, Peter )

• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Groche