Double-T profiles, also known as I or H profiles, are widely used in industry and used as steel beams in construction, plant engineering and mechanical engineering, for example. Due to the characteristic profile shape, they achieve a high bending stiffness and bending strength with a comparatively low weight.

Double-T profiles are predominantly hot-rolled, but other manufacturing processes also exist, although these also have disadvantages. A significant advantage of cold rolling over hot rolling is the higher surface quality and the high work hardening rates that can be achieved.

In a first try-out of cold rolling double T-profiles, the feasibility could be demonstrated at the PtU (see figure above). However, the flange thicknesses achieved so far are significantly thinner than the web thickness, which is unfavorable for double-T profiles. The aim of this work is therefore to develop an optimized forming strategy to extend the previous process limits in terms of flange area and thickness. This is to be achieved by numerically supported tool optimization. The exact work packages can best be discussed in more detail in a personal meeting.

Research method

Numerical, constructive