Posted on 18 Oct 2012
DETROIT, Oct. 18, 2012 – The Building upon the
successful development of its Bar Machinability Database, which is
comprised of test data from a single point turning test, and adoption of
its Bar Steel Machinability Estimator that calculates cutting tool life
based on defined criterion, the Steel Market Development Institute’s
(SMDI) Bar Application Group (BAG) Machinability Sub-committee is
stepping up their efforts. The organization is currently gathering
industry input to identify critical areas for new research and testing
to further foster the use of steel in ground vehicles. SMDI is a
business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
According
to insight gathered during the Bar Machinability Summit, there’s a
critical need for consistency and predictability in auto steel
machining. During the meeting, automakers and industry suppliers
provided insight surrounding the future machinability testing needs of
the manufacturing base. SMDI’s BAG Machinability Sub-committee will use
this feedback for future program planning and work to initiate industry,
government and academia collaborations to drive the use of steel as the
material of choice for automotive and industrial applications.
“Given
current discussions surrounding the importance of material choice for
automotive lightweighting initiatives, accurate information regarding
the proper machining of steel is critical,” David Anderson, senior
director, automotive technical plan and long products program, SMDI
said. “The purpose of the Bar Machinability Summit was to determine what
steel machinability data, in terms of materials and operations, was of
interest to the industry and how SMDI’s BAG Machinability Sub-committee
might develop pre-competitive data that would enable increased use of
steel.”
According to summit participants, there is a need to better
understand the factors that affect machinability to improve machining
consistency, minimize downtime and better predict machining throughput
and cost. Machine downtime is the largest contributor to
machining-related costs, when changes in steel sourcing, lot-to-lot
variation, surface-to-core microstructural variation, etc. may have an
adverse impact on cutting tool life.
Composed of representatives
from automotive OEMs, academia and the steel industry, the
Machinability Sub-Committee develops information needed by the machining
industry for material selection, process development and for improving
understanding of the factors that influence the machinability of steel.
The Machinability Summit was held earlier this summer at the SMDI
offices in Southfield, Mich. to identify key areas for future research
and testing. Summit presentations and an output report can be accessed
through the Bar Machinability link on www.autosteel.org.
AISI
serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public
policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the
preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the
development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology.
AISI is comprised of 25 member companies, including integrated and
electric furnace steelmakers, and 124 associate members who are
suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI’s member companies
represent over three quarters of both U.S. and North American steel
capacity.
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a
business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, grows and
maintains the use of steel through strategies that promote
cost-effective solutions in the automotive, construction and container
markets, as well as for new-growth opportunities in emerging steel
markets. The Long Products Market Development Group (LPMDG), formed in
1997, provides a unique forum for long products steel producers. Through
the support of SMDI, the LPMDG is growing the market for value-added
steel bar and rod products. For more news or information, visit
www.autosteel.org. For more news or information, visit www.autosteel.org or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/smdisteel.
