Problem:
Improved Materials and Powertrain Architectures for 21st Century Trucks / Forming and Bonding of Reduced Gauge Iron Carbon Alloys for Truck Engineering (IMPACT/FABRICATE) was an early research program looking at the feasibility of using Advanced High Strength Steels in passenger and military tactical trucks. The consortium included Ford Motor Company, the American Iron & Steel Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the United States Department of Defense and several universities. Many steel companies are members of AISI – and they do not want competitors to analyzing parts made of their steels. What did the IMPACT/FABRICATE consortium do?
Resolution:
They called EQS! We were the sole independent company conducting strain analyses for the IMPACT/FABRICATE program. EQS went to the tool shops where the work was being conducted and worked with the tool room employees and engineers from Ford and the steel companies to analyze and document the panel formability noting and correcting areas with splits, wrinkles, or other issues. Our results were included in the final report, and were used as a springboard for further studies.
