New methodologies for the design and application of high-strength steels in sectors such as automotive

CRYSTAL project presentation
  • Eurecat hosted an event jointly organized by the coordinators of the European RFCS projects ToughSteel, Crystal and MiPre.
  • Solutions to optimize the development of new high-performance metal alloys and guarantee their safe application in the design of products with high-added value were presented.

Barcelona, 29 of June, 2023 — The Crystal project, together with sister RCFS initiatives ToughSteel and MiPre, has organised its final industrial workshop to present innovative test methodologies for the design and optimal application of advanced high-performance high strength steels. The event has been hosted by Eurecat in their facilities in Manresa on June 29th, 2023.

During the event, solutions and case studies evaluating and determining critical properties in this area, such as fatigue behavior, impact resistance, hydrogen embrittlement, and fracture toughness, which allows addressing cracking problems in the manufacturing of high strength steel products, were presented.

The knowledge generated makes it possible to optimise the development of new high-performance metals and apply them in the design of products with high-added value, particularly interesting for reducing weight and guaranteeing safety in vehicles.

The event was attended by researchers and companies that have adopted new techniques to optimize the development and implementation of high-performance steels such as SSAB Europe, Forvia Faurecia, Benteler Group, MW Italia, Stellantis, Letomec, CRM Group, SEAT S.A. and ArcelorMittal.

The Crystal project “has developed new experimental tools and methodologies to predict the useful life of car parts made with high-strength steels against the phenomenon of hydrogen embrittlement”, explains the project coordinator and head of the Corrosion and Degradation Line of the Metallic and Ceramic Materials Unit of Eurecat, Sílvia Molas.

The absorption of hydrogen in the material “directly affects its mechanical properties, reducing them drastically and causing the manufactured component to be more sensitive to fracture. Now, we can provide the industry with tools to determine the threshold hydrogen content and reduce the associated risk, which allows the manufacture of safer automotive components“, adds Molas.

The Crystal project has been executed by an consortium of six institutions from four European countries: Eurecat Technology Center, which is coordinating the project, together with  Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF) from Italy, the Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques (CRM) from France, ArcelorMittal from France, VoestAlpine from Austria and Letomec, from Italy.

Crystal has developed new experimental tools and methodologies that allow predicting the useful life of automobile parts manufactured with high-strength steels in the face of the phenomenon of hydrogen embrittlement. The project has used a novel solid-state gas sensor to quantitatively measure in-situ the hydrogen absorbed during the production of steel parts and during their service life, as well as defined and determined the best methodology to evaluate hydrogen embrittlement during steel production and life span of the components.

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