The project aims to demonstrate significant energy savings in the hot-forming steel process and the lightweight construction potential of high-strength press-hardening steels through key innovations in the field of novel PVD sheet coating and rapid electrical heating. The aim is to reduce energy consumption in the production chain for high-strength steel components by at least 30%. To achieve this goal, extensive system evaluations and modelling support the development and industrial validation of novel PVD sheet coatings. These innovations are critical as current sheet metal coating techniques are not sufficient to fully utilise the potential of energy-saving rapid heating strategies or to enable the use of even higher strength sheet grades (> 1200 MPa). The new coating system fulfils all requirements for large-scale production processes, including hot forming, scale protection, weldability, joining technology and paintability, and enables new process routes such as electrical rapid heating. The challenges in terms of energy-saving potential, material, surface and manufacturing processes require interdisciplinary collaboration between partners in order to ensure efficient and resource-saving production.
In the work package on "Model-based Life Cycle Engineering", the IWF will analyse the environmental impact and energy-saving potential of innovative coatings and press hardening techniques in a prospective analysis. In order to ensure that no emissions are shifted from one area to another and that comprehensive life cycle engineering is achieved, it is necessary to analyse the entire life cycle from raw material extraction to disposal (cradle-to-grave), taking various scenarios into account. The methodology of model-based life cycle engineering is applied and further developed here. This approach involves modelling the life cycle of the vehicle as a system consisting of various subsystems, taking into account the interactions within and between the subsystems and the higher-level environment such as the energy supply and transport system. The model-based approach allows a wide range of scenarios to be simulated with regard to the individual phases of the product life cycle, enabling modelling of different future scenarios and helps to reduce uncertainties.