Sheet Metal Stamping Simulation

Western sheet metal parts suppliers are under immense pressures from lower-cost Chinese parts producers and need to improve efficiency to strengthen their chances of survival. Today, Automakers call their suppliers and say, "What are you going to do to meet the China price?"

I was recently employed by a major automotive company as a sheet metal stamping Engineer. Within this company, sheet metal stamping simulation was already recognized as the leanest and most efficient way to get a new sheet metal product design to "off tool sample" level and into high volume production. In fact, it was so well recognized and proven that this company began insisting that their Tier 1 suppliers of sheet metal parts, use the same technology.

One might question this wondering how an automotive conglomerate can demand such an investment without regard for the size of the business or their current complexity of sheet metal parts. The example that springs to my mind with which I have direct experience, is one where the Automotive Giant is at the start of new model planning and beginning to select potential sheet metal suppliers for body shell parts.

Figure 1: New Symbols of China?

Historical Tier 1 supplier is on the list of possibilities, because they have always supplied sheet metal body parts to the Automotive Giant in the past. Mr. Historical Tier 1 supplier is very confident he can win at least the same volume of work as he did last model, even though he has not really changed the way he quotes new jobs or any of the processes that result in producing a finished part. Not surprisingly, the Automotive Giant is not overly interested in giving out the same volume of work as last model simply as a matter of routine. “Global supply” is the current buzz word for sheet metal purchasing officers who often seek to multi source parts to numerous world wide plants from one supplier.

Fortunately in this example, the Automotive Giant is a “let’s keep it local” type guy. Of course, “let’s keep it local” does not mean at a price! The Automotive Giant wants it local at the same price as what he can import! Is this possible? Is this a reasonable expectation? Yes, it is. Here is why.

Some parts of a car body are complicated 3D parts of a physical size that LIMITS the number of parts that can be stacked in a shipping container. Even though the manufacturing cost may be small overseas, the shipping costs strip out the dollars saved. These are the types of parts that local sheet metal suppliers need to target, those that are not economical to ship from overseas. Furthermore, the complexity of the parts is such that, although cheap to manufacture, tooling them successfully to get to manufacture can be a challenge for our cheap overseas competitors.

The solution here is to have Mr. LOCAL Tier 1 Supplier step in to new technology to assist with designing sheet metal forming processes that work first time and achieve the required quality levels, without the “try and see” mentality. This is where new technologies can help. The Automotive Giant can now say “Parts A, B, C, D etc are large, complex parts that are not economical to import from overseas. However, we feel the parts are too complicated for your current skill level. How can we be satisfied that you will be able to successfully tool these parts, at a lean and competitive cost?”

The answer is forming simulation. Simulate the process BEFORE tooling it. Find the costly problems and fix them all in the virtual world at a fraction of the cost. Give confidence to yourself and the Automotive Giant and keep these jobs local. Using forming simulation to prove your ideas will work. Try it at the quotation stage……it is a sure way to win a job.