Reducing vehicle weight by using lighter solutions is an obvious way to cut emissions, but steel offers unbeatable crash protection. ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks answers both these demands with innovative solutions.
The automotive industry faces two major challenges today: emissions reduction and improvement of safety standards.
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What are laser welded blanks?
A laser welded blank (LWB – also known as a tailored blank) is a sheet of steel which combines several different grades. Each grade can have different thicknesses and/or coatings. LWBs allow a part to be engineered for optimal performance and lightweighting.
The separate grades are laser welded together to create a single sheet of steel which has the best grade in the best place for strength and deformation. Each sheet can be hot- or cold-stamped to give the part its final shape.
The result is a "tailor-made" solution with significant advantages for the customer. Today, LWBs are commonly used in automotive construction, particularly for the body-in-white and closures of a car.