The Patchwork Technique for Proper Material Placement on Panels: Industrial Application on the New Peugeot 206

The Research Centre of Cockerill Sambre (R.D.C.S.), together with Cockerill Sambre Tailored Blanks (C.S.T.B.) has developed a new technique, Patchwork, for the optimization of parts in the automotive industry. Patchwork means optimized and economical parts made from two or more superposed and spot welded flat blanks deep-drawn together at the same time. The technique avoids the problems of precise cutting of blanks and precise and specific clamping devices. Moreover, the use of spot welding instead of classical laser welding leads to a reduced operating cost. In this paper, we are presenting different applications where this technique has been successfully used. Such a technique has been introduced at an industrial scale on the new Peugeot 206 model. The use of the patchwork technique for the front members leads to a reduced production cost together with a high target for safety. We explain how R.D.C.S. and C.S.T.B. can help customers of the Cockerill Sambre Group to reduce the weight and the costs by using the patchwork technique.