Finite and Numerical Simulations Applied in Tailor Welded Blank

The increase in economic and technological competitiveness means that the automobile industry seeks constant innovation in its production methods and processes, in order to produce lighter, safer and more efficient vehicles. Products with greater mechanical resistance, better conformability, thickness combinations of plates / materials are sought with a focus on reducing mass and increasing the rigidity of the vehicle body. In this scenario, Tailor Welded Blank (TWB), which is a top welding technique (by unconventional processes) of sheets of different specifications (materials, thicknesses and / or coatings), appears as a solution, as it allows localized distribution of mechanical properties, mass, optimizing the relationship between structural rigidity and the total weight of the vehicle body. The great challenge of this technique is to combine two processes with completely different demands, welding and mechanical forming. Due to the complexity of forming TWBs, the use of simulations has been widely adopted. In this review, different results of the numerical simulation methods used for a Tailor Welded Blank are compared, focusing on the details and the influence of the parameters used.