Steel Industry Awards Innovative Hot Stamping

The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI; Washington, DC), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), awarded their Automotive Excellence Award to Honda Research & Development Americas, Inc. (Torrance, CA) and Gestamp Automoción (Madrid, Spain) for work in implementing advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) innovations in a hot stamped rear frame. The award was presented at the 15th annual Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) seminar in Livonia, MI.

The SMDI Automotive Excellence Award recognizes individuals or teams from automakers, suppliers or the academic community who embrace innovation and make significant contributions to the advancement of steel in the automotive marketplace. Award winners are chosen from presenters at the previous year’s GDIS seminar. Candidates are rated in several categories, including challenges and benefits associated with cost, mass reduction and performance; overall contribution to the advancement of steel; and implementation in production.

Shawn Crichley, the principal engineer of vehicle design-body at Honda, and Brad Klein, a senior engineer from Honda, along with Kou Khang, the platform director from Gestamp, received the award for their presentation, titled, “Special Presentation: Advanced High-Strength Steel Breakthrough Technology.”

The goal of their project was to reduce rear frame mass and design complexity while maintaining performance through implementation of hot stamped high-strength steel. The result was a 20 percent weight reduction compared to previous models and full realization of the rear frame crush mode. “In 15 years of GDIS, winners of the Automotive Excellence award have demonstrated significant contributions to steel in the marketplace, and this project was no exception,” stated Jody Hall, the vice president of the automotive market of SMDI. “This project implemented an innovative hot-stamping process with localized soft zones to create crush initiation sites. This combination allowed them to achieve mass reduction and reduce part count, while maintaining all performance metrics.”

GDIS debuted in 2002 with 545 registrants and has grown in attendance and scope. In 2015, more than 1,250 North American vehicle manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, equipment suppliers, university representatives, steel company personnel and technical reporters attended the seminar. This year marks the seminars 15th year with more than 1,600 registrants. Founding members include AK Steel Holding Corporation (West Chester, OH), ArcelorMittal Dofasco (Ontario,Canada), ArcelorMittal USA, LLC (East Chicago, IN) and Nucor Corporation (Charlotte, NC).

GDIS 2016 featured welcoming remarks by Roger Newport, the chief executive officer of AK Steel. Helping to support this year’s event were Gold Sponsors AutoForm Engineering GmbH (Switzerland), Gestamp, Superior Roll Forming Company (Valley City, OH) and Vari-Form Corporation (Livonia, MI).

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. They also play a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. The organization is comprised of 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.

SMDI increases and defends the use of steel by developing innovative materials, applications and value-added solutions for customers in the automotive, construction and packaging markets. SMDI automotive investors include AK Steel, ArcelorMittal USA, ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Nucor.

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