Five-Piece Hot-Stamped Laser-Welded Door Ring and B-Pillar

March 21, 2017

Jennifer Shuttleworth

The partners identified the side structure of the vehicle’s body-in-white, specifically the door ring and B-pillar, as the area of most opportunity for weight reduction and improved safety performance.

To reduce the weight of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica while meeting or exceeding crash test requirements and minimizing costs to the consumer, ArcelorMittal (Chicago, IL) and ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks began co-engineering work with FCA US LLC in 2012 to identify applications that would meet all objectives. Using ArcelorMittal’s patented laser ablation process, the company combined two high-strength steel grades—Usibor, a hot stamping grade that supports weight reduction in advanced shapes that require higher tensile strength, and Ductibor, an energy-absorbing grade designed specifically to complement Usibor in hot-stamping applications and offer ductility—to better manage the crash energies. Together, the partners identified the side structure of the vehicle’s body-in-white, specifically the door ring and B-pillar, as the area of most opportunity for weight reduction and improved safety performance. The team came to an agreement on one central concept, what ArcelorMittal claims is the world’s first five-piece hot-stamped laser-welded door ring and B-pillar. Visit Booth 3806 at SAE WCX17.