But these solutions add time and cost to the manufacturing process. A less desirable alternative is to make compromises on either the choice of material or the shape of the part. Thus, engineers have been trying to find other methods to replace or complement the conventional mechanical stamping process in order to fully realize the potential weight savings of using aluminum components. This produces a brief but powerful magnetic field that generates an opposing magnetic field within the part to be formed. The coil and the part thus repel each other and the part is propelled into a forming die at high velocity, forming the part into its final shape.
Lower weight means higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
Initial results indicate that EMF greatly improves aluminum forming based on trials with two aluminum parts. Using EMF, researchers could form the desired surface contour in a hood without wrinkling. While preliminary results are encouraging, much work remains to be done. One area of concern involves the coils used to create the magnetic field. If EMF is to be employed on a large scale in the automotive industry, extremely robust coils will need to be developed.