Gestamp display at IZB 2022 .
Active Frunk .
piece solutions in giga-stamping .
Ignacio Martin ( Chief Technology and Innovation Officer , Gestamp ) explained : “ This new product family offers a unique combination of increased crash safety , light weight , lower costs and CO₂ reduction in a single product . This hot-stamped steel solution with different material properties and thickness combinations allows our OEMs to offer a significant reduction in assembly time . Extreme size parts represent an optimal solution for the design of new electric vehicles and make it possible to largely cope with crash safety in the vehicle body and therefore reduce the complexity of the battery box .”
Gestamp also develops safer and lighter battery electric vehicle ( BEV ) solutions specifically designed for urban mobility . It showed , for the first time , a multi-material battery box made of fibre-reinforced plastic FRP ( 100 % reusable and circularly recyclable ) and aluminium . This product could represent a solution for small electric vehicles . This intelligent concept for urban mobility is part of another product family of battery concepts developed by Gestamp R & D .
“ Battery concepts fit seamlessly into the extreme size body concepts , allowing us to offer our customers less complex and more efficient solutions . We presented some new developments for the mobility requirements of tomorrow such as engineered products and related technologies like Multistep , BKT ( Bending Kinematic Technology ) laser technology and an insight into aluminium competencies ,” explained the company .
Chassis
Ulf Sudowe , R & D Chassis Products Director , Gestamp , commented : “ Front and rear axles are complex and load-bearing components that are in the lower part of the vehicle . They carry the engine connection and are subjected to high loads and forces , while playing an important role in the safety of the vehicle . That is why it is so important to develop different ideas and solutions for modern and future-oriented components that meet current and future e-mobility requirements in the chassis .”
Gestamp delivers fully validated chassis components , from research into advanced technologies , first concepts with design and development and prototyping to complex component testing . The fully integrated production processes in the concept phase include flexible platform solutions for different vehicle powertrains ( electric vehicles , plugin hybrid vehicles and internal combustion engines ), with minimum weight and low CO₂ impact .
The introduction of “ HyperTubes ” ( highstrength , complex-phase steel tubes ) in the development of rear axle supports has resulted in an improvement , especially in electric vehicles , by increasing crash performance while reducing weight .
Mechanisms
Gestamp ’ s third business unit , under the brand name Edscha , presented the second generation of its Power Door to the public for the first time at IZB . The actuator is now in the door check area and Edscha offers a comprehensive system around the power door , including intelligent sensor technology that detects obstacles in the vicinity of the door and can stop the door in time before a collision . It also supplies the control unit ( ECU ) which is used to control the actuator through
FOCUS ON STAMPING
Joint project for lighter and stronger steel
Together with SSAB , Gestamp developed a new steel with high strength levels and good formability , that is lighter and environmentally friendly , to manufacture a chassis part for the Toyota Yaris .
“ Docol1000CP steel , which has a significantly higher strength ( 1000 Mpa ) than conventionally used grades , maintains the quality , performance and geometry of the parts ,” outlined Gestamp .
The characteristics of Docol 1000CP , an advanced high-strength steel , also allow lighter parts to be produced and is effective against fatigue , an important property for any part of the steering and suspension of a car such as the FLCA . In addition , since lower weight equals lower fuel consumption and therefore reduced emissions , this steel contributes to protecting the environment .
Both companies worked closely throughout the process , from composition of the material to the characterisation and , finally , the homologation of the steel to be used in parts as sensitive to vehicle stability as a front lower control arm ( FLCA ).
specially developed software and is the link to the vehicle environment monitoring system , which also detects static and dynamic obstacles such as pedestrians and cyclists .
The second generation Power Door also has a servo function . This means that even heavy doors can be moved manually with virtually no effort ( no matter the position of the car ). The power door is also stepless , meaning it has no stop notches but keeps the door firmly in place in any position .
“ With the Active Frunk ,” Edscha CEO , César Pontvianne de la Maza , explained , “ we offer a modern solution specially tailored to electric vehicles . Where there is still a combustion engine in most vehicles today , space is freed in the electric vehicle that can be used as an additional luggage compartment , for example .” The Active Frunk combines an actuator for fully automatic opening and closing of the front lid with a hinge for active pedestrian protection .
Edscha also develops customised sliding door solutions for passenger cars and commercial vehicles . In addition to the lower , middle and upper roller , it has developed a multi-part rail in which both aluminium and plastic components can be used . The benefits of this new concept include less weight , lower costs , lower tolerances and faster processes . n