Modifying mechanical properties of sheet metal materials by work hardening mechanisms induced by selective embossing

Abstract

Abstract. The selective modification of mechanical properties of sheet metal materials poses a promising approach for realizing lightweight designs, especially when achieved without additional material input. One method for locally adapting the mechanical properties of sheet metal components is to specifically induce work hardening into the sheet metal material by near-surface embossing. Previous studies have already shown this effect for the sheet metal materials DP500 and DP600. The present paper verifies these findings for embossed high-strength steel DP800 considering different blank thicknesses and embossing depths. During experimental investigations, tensile and bending specimens of different sheet thicknesses were manufactured with definite embossing patterns and subsequently tested with regard to their mechanical properties. To verify the true embossing depth, the specimens were measured optically. As a result of this contribution, it was found that the material properties of high-strength sheet metal materials can be modified for lightweight construction and crash properties by selective embossing. Parameter constellations for increasing the yield strength were found for the materials investigated.