Modelling of material failure in press-hardened steel for shear cutting taking into account pre-damage in the austenitic state

The research project aims to model the two-stage shear cutting of 22MnB5 using numerical simulations, taking into account the deformation and failure behaviour at varying temperatures. Particular attention is paid to pre-damage in the austenite area and its influence on formability at room temperature. The two-stage process offers various advantages over cold, hot and laser cutting, including lower force and energy requirements, less tool wear and improved cut edge quality. Since no suitable simulation models are available to date, a material model is being developed that takes into account the influence of temperature and forming velocity. The focus is on the effects of pre-damage in austenite and the development of a suitable function to describe damage accumulation. The project involves adapting an existing material model for the relevant temperature range, comprehensive material characterisation, failure characterisation tests and the development of modelling approaches for pre-damage. Finally, a simulation model of two-stage shear cutting will be created and validated by experimental tests. The project results offer potential for resource-saving and efficient production of press hardened components.