Manfred Scholz, Site Manager of siwe AG (now weba Olomouc, s.r.o.), a 100% subsidiary of weba, explains the purpose of this groundbreaking investment: "Our goal is to achieve even greater strength through more efficient material utilization. With this innovation, we are excellently positioned to meet the industry's needs for lighter yet resilient components."
In test series on the 1,200-ton hot-forming press, weba can simulate production close to serial production. The materials are heated to 950 degrees Celsius, making them more elastic and allowing for the shaping of complex components. After rapid cooling, the material achieves an impressive strength of about 1500 N/mm². Manfred Scholz emphasizes, "We can now produce the desired quantity that is perfectly tailored to the respective material."
Another focus is on optimizing energy efficiency. High energy consumption and long cycle times have been a challenge in press hardening technology, limiting production capacity. weba is actively working to address these issues and reduce cycle times through accelerated cooling processes. Further development projects in the field of energy efficiency are already planned, including tests with thermally conductive special steels.
The use of this groundbreaking press hardening technology takes place at both the main location in Steyr and at the competence center in Olomouc, Czech Republic. In Olomouc, a specialized location for hot forming, the weba test press is in operation. Here, the production process is analyzed using thermal imaging cameras and infrared thermography, contributing significantly to increased energy efficiency. Infrared thermography captures the uniform temperature distribution and temperature variations to ensure precise quality control.
With these innovations in press hardening, weba is setting new standards and driving the development of high-strength and lightweight components for the automotive industry forward.
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About weba Werkzeugbau: weba is a leading tooling company based in Steyr, Austria. The company specializes in the production of large stamping and forming tools for high-strength and ultra-high-strength structural components in the automotive industry. With many years of experience and a high level of innovation, weba delivers high-quality solutions for the automotive industry, contributing to the development of lighter yet resilient components.
