Advanced Technology of Sheet Metal Forming in Japan

In automobile companies new techniques of sheet metal forming have been developed and some of them are applied practically in order to solve the social demands to automobile. Sheet materials makers have also developed new materials with good formability in response to the requests of automobile companies. Current topics of sheet metal forming techniques in Japan are; (1) Stamping of high strength steel and aluminum alloy sheets for weight reduction of autobody, (2) Stamping of tailored blanks, (3) Application of new forming techniques such as hydro-mechanical forming and blank holding force control, and (4) Practical application of FEM simulation to die making and stamping processes for the reduction of preparation time and the optimization of forming processes.