AISI UPDATES THE BAR STEEL FATIGUE DATABASE...
WEB-BASED DATABASE NOW OFFERS 71 ITERATIONS
Detroit, MI, March 18, 2005 – In a
demonstration of its resolve to continue providing the automotive
industry with the latest data on steels, the Long Products Market
Development Group (BRMDG) of American Iron and Steel Institute announced
today the third update of the on-line Bar Steel Fatigue Database. This
update adds 11 iterations, bringing the database total up to 71 steel
grade/process combinations on line for use by the members of the Bar
Steel Fatigue Database Project Team. The team comprises six AISI member
companies and 9 companies from the ground vehicle industry.
According
to Dave Anderson, director of long products programs for AISI, “The
database is for the exclusive use of the Project Team. However, 54
iterations in the database are open for public use. Access to
the Bar Steel Fatigue Database is available on the
autosteel.org website.
“The database started in 2003 with 21 steel grade/process
combinations, or iterations, which were expanded to 43 in 2004,”
reports Anderson. “This new update brings the total to 71
iterations, and work is now underway to raise the total to 97
combinations. We have been examining torsion fatigue and mathematically
correlating axial-to-torsional results, which will further improve the
fatigue knowledge base. We have also been looking at case core samples
such as carburized case-hardened shafts and gears.
“In
the Great Designs In Steel Seminar today there will be two presentations
on the Fatigue Database. Dr. Tom Oakwood, chairman of the Bar Steel
Fatigue Database Project Team will present an overview of the on-line
database,” said Anderson. “Then Dr. Yung-Li Lee of
DaimlerChrysler will discuss the application of the Fatigue Database to
automotive design engineering.”
The Bar
Steel Fatigue Database, which in itself is a fairly sophisticated
program, provides data in easy-to-read tables as well as in monotonic
and cyclical stress-strain curves and elastic and plastic
strain-amplitude curves. The tabular data include the following
information:
-
Chemistry
-
Process
History
-
Mechanical Properties
-
Microstructural Characterization
-
Strain-Controlled Fatigue Data
-
Fatigue
Life Coefficients
Fatigue
testing for the AISI strain-controlled fatigue database project was
carried out at the University of Toledo in Ohio and the University of
Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Under the supervision of strain-controlled
fatigue specialists, testing procedures followed those set by the ASTM
Specification E 606-92, "Standard Practice for Strained-Controlled
Fatigue Testing." The strain-controlled method for obtaining data is a
sophisticated process that evolved from the rudimentary stress-life
method.
"This is
an important program for the ground vehicle industry," said Anderson,
"because it gives design engineers better predictive capability for
designing better parts. It is significant, too, that the ultimate users
participated in the AISI program. Strategic partnering like this always
yields better results."
"Knowing
the magnitude and location of stress concentration, the places where
fatigue most likely will occur, helps in part optimization for lighter
weight and better performance at lower cost," he said.
The Bar
Steel Fatigue Database offers a complete source of steel bar technical
information. Using the data in Finite Element Analysis and predictive
life analysis, engineers can design component parts based on analytical
methodology and validate them through testing. This replaces the
time-consuming design/test and redesign/test cycles, ultimately
supporting the reduced time to market for each generation of new
vehicles.
The Bar
Steel Fatigue Database Project Team comprises six AISI member companies
and 9 companies from the ground vehicle industry, including:
- AK Steel
Corporation
- American
Axle & Manufacturing
- Caterpillar, Inc.
- Chaparral Steel
- Cummins
Engine
- Dana
- DaimlerChrysler Corporation
- Deere
& Co.
- Ford
Motor Company
- General
Motors Corporation
- Harley
Davidson
- Mittal
Steel Bar Products
- Nucor
Corporation
- Steel
Dynamics, Inc.
- The
Timken Company
Project
funding by the steel members is through standard AISI assessments while
the members from the ground vehicle industry each contribute a set fee.
All this goes toward research. However, it allows the non-steel
companies to actively participate in the project, to decide which
material/process combinations will be examined, and to have free access
to the private database for two years before it becomes
public.
Under the
auspices of the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Long Products
Market Development Group strives to grow the market for value-added
steel long products products. With six member companies, the group pursues
this goal through two task forces committed to developing innovative
solutions to the challenges facing their clients and the steel industry.
These task forces are Automotive/Heavy Equipment and
Construction/Infrastructure. For more news or information, view the
American Iron and Steel Institute /Automotive Applications Committee's
website at www.autosteel.org.
Long Products Market Development Group Member
Companies:
Chaparral Steel
MACSTEEL
Mittal Steel Bar
Products
Nucor
Corporation
Steel
Dynamics, Inc.
The Timken
Company
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