Tailored blank

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Tailor welded blank

A tailored blank ( English means customized board ) is a sheet metal blank, which is typically composed of different material grades and thicknesses. This prefabricated semi-finished product is then formed into the desired component, for example by deep drawing .

Tailored blanks were developed by ThyssenKrupp Stahl to produce sheet metal blanks that were wider than was possible with the existing rolling technology at the time. Nowadays the main advantage is that blanks can be assembled from different material grades or sheet thicknesses. This makes it possible to adapt different points of the later component to local loads, which would otherwise require additional reinforcement parts. The advantages are the saving of weight ( lightweight construction ) and manufacturing costs. Tailored blanks are widely used in the automotive industry for the manufacture of vehicle bodies .

Tailored blanks are completely independent of the rolling direction of the sheet metal strip ( coil ). They are therefore particularly suitable for increasing the degree of material utilization and thus for reducing material costs. The division of the component board is therefore useful even with identical sheet thicknesses, grades and surfaces.

Tailored blank types

  • With the Tailor Welded Blank ( TWB ) the individual sheet metal blanks are welded together. This is usually done as a butt joint using laser welding . The versatile material combinations and geometries are advantageous.
  • Tailored strips (tailored coils) are continuously laser-welded sheet metal strips. This made it possible to use tailored blanks for progressive tools, or to optimize roll-profiled components with tailor-made strips.
  • The Tailor Rolled Blank ( TRB ) is cold-rolled again as sheet metal strip, with the rolls producing different sheet thicknesses by moving up and down. The advantage is the homogeneous transition between two thicknesses.
  • In patchwork , small metal sheets such as patches are welded onto a larger circuit board using resistance spot welding or laser beam welding or glued on using structural adhesives.
  • Tailored tubes ( TT ) are tubular components in car bodies that are joined together by laser welding and placed in a die , then filled with liquids and then pressed onto the die shape with an internal pressure of several hundred megapascals ( hydroforming ).
  • With Tailored Orbitals ( TO ), endlessly cut tubes of various wall thicknesses, materials or coatings are welded together on the front side. In this way, the pipes can be adapted to the loads at different points and weight can be saved. Tailored orbitals are semi-finished products for motor vehicles and industry.

Tailored blanks are typically made of sheet steel. Aluminum and hybrid blanks are in development. Aluminum sheets are now processed by friction stir welding .