Knowledge

The Future of Press Dies and Forming

The automotive industry is in a once-in-a-century period of transformation. In this environment, it's crucial for Japan to continuously strive to further enhance its die and manufacturing technologies, producing products and dies that are aligned with the changing times.

Fortunately, the tools available to support these efforts are becoming more sophisticated. Advances in analysis technology, measurement technology, processing technology, and press machine performance now make it possible to achieve processes that were once considered difficult. Going forward, the key will be to integrate a more flexible approach with fundamental knowledge of processing, based on the principles of manufacturing, to effectively materialize innovative ideas.

On the other hand, the scope of technologies that need to be caught up on is expanding rapidly. For instance, in the evolution of digital technology, CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) using the Finite Element Method has long been the most crucial tool for process design, moving beyond the era of CAD/CAM. Today, further theories and digital tools (such as 3D scanners, optimization software, the use of surrogate models, big data collection and processing, and the application of AI) are emerging to enhance CAE's accuracy.

Under these circumstances, the importance of industry-academia-government collaboration among individuals and groups specializing in different fields is growing. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) are also promoting initiatives related to open innovation, which involves incorporating knowledge and technologies from other organizations and institutions in product development, technological reform, research and development, and organizational reform. Additionally, programs like the Strategic Core Technologies Advancement Program (Sapoin Program, now Go-Tech Program), which fundamentally require industry-academia-government collaboration, are also being implemented. The importance of joint research is expected to increase even further in the future.

In the following sections, we'll provide an overview of the latest technical trends in press forming and dies, primarily citing recent reports based on several key themes.