innovative steel usage in the 2006 pontiac solstice

innovative steel usage in the 2006 pontiac solstice

INNOVATIVE STEEL USAGE IN THE
2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE
Warren Parsons and David Friddell
Product and Manufacturing Engineering
General Motors North American Operations
March 8th 2006
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AGENDA
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Introduction to Solstice
Program Timing Challenge
Structure and closure material usage
Vehicle structural performance
Innovative component manufacture
Joining methods
Unique assembly techniques
Lessons learned
Summing it all up
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INTRODUCTION
2006 GM Solstice
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INTRODUCTION
• Specifics about vehicle ……..
•Fun to drive 2 passenger, 2 door roadster
•Designed as a convertible only
•Rear drive, front engine
•Engine, ECOTEC 2.4L DOHC 4-cylinder 177 horse power
•Transmission, 5-speed automatic & 5-speed manual, close-ratio
•GVW 2860 lbs
•Wheelbase 95.1” Overall length 157.2 Body width 71.3”
•Annual Volume - 20,000
•Price point – less than $20,000
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PROGRAM TIMING
• Styling was sacred
• Engineering set an aggressive task to go
from concept to production in 12 months
• Development time reduced by using proven
material
• Innovative manufacturing techniques
reduced final design to production timing
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MATERIAL USAGE
Mild Steel
HSLA
DP
Material usage in “Underbody Structure”
BIW mass 272 Kg
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MATERIAL USAGE
Bake Hard
Low carbon
Material usage in “Exterior Panels”
Mass 40Kg
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MATERIAL USAGE
Dual Phase, 21%
HSLA, 32%
Low Carbon Steel, 47%
Underbody
Bake Hard 68%
Low Carbon Steel, 32%
Exterior Panels
Material usage by mass
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MATERIAL JOINTS
Solstice Structure
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JOINING
• Traditional spot welding of dual phase
• Body shop uses several types of mig welding processes to
weld sheet body steel & hydroform rails
Traditional mig, Silicon arc braze & Plasma arc
braze
• Weld thru structural adhesive used for durability &
stiffness enhancements
• Windshield Urethane
Bonds dash to under body & qtr to body
Quick set urethane used to fixture outer panels in place
• Foam
Utilized for chassis mount stiffness & impedance;
structural
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VEHICLE PERFORMANCE
• Performance in Side event
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VEHICLE PERFORMANCE
•Performance in frontal event
NCAP
(56KPH/35MPH)
Tested structural
efficiency 96%
Test time stamp
120 milliseconds
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COMPONENT MANUFACTURE
DP590T Hydro-formed main rails
Key points:
Pre-bend with mandrel
4000 lb press size
GMX020
Solstice Side
Rails
GMX020
GMX020 Solstice
Solstice Side
Side Rails
Rails
Finished
Parts Tubes
Hydroformed
Straight
Bent
Tubes
Tubes
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Tube DIA 5.2in, Gauge 1.8 mm, Finished length 4070mm
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COMPONENT MANUFACTURE
DP590T Hydro-formed main rails
GMX020
GMX020 Solstice
Solstice Side
Side Rail
Rail
Hydroformed
Hydroformed Tube
Tube -- LH
LH
Pre-Fill
Pressure
Pre-Fill
Form
Pressure
Pressure
Preformed
Bent Tube
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COMPONENT MANUFACTURE
Sheet hydro-formed exterior panels
Pontiac Solstice Panel
Panel: Hood Outer
Panel: Deck Lid Outer
Panel: LH Body Side Outer
Panel: Hood Inner
Panel: LH Door Inner
Panel: LH Door Outer
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Three Press Cell
Tool Pallet Changer
Destacker
& Robot
Transfer Robots
Station 3
Servo, Restrike/Flange
8,000kN
Station 2
Servo, Trim/Pierce
8,000kN
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Station 1
FFP-Servo,
30,000kN
CONVENTIONAL
FORMING
HYDRAULIC FLUID
FORMING
Principles
Blankholder
Pressure Relief
Valve
PUNCH
Blankholder
DIE
Programmable
Logic Controller
Blank
3
2
Draw
Wall
No.
1
2
3
AREA
Punch Radius
Die Radius
Blankholder
1
Water Pressure
Relief Valve
WATER CHAMBER
CONVENTIONAL
FORMING
Free-thinning
Contact-thinning
High Friction
HYDRAULIC FLUID
FORMING
Hydraulic Push-high friction
Sheet Bulging-No contact
Reduced Friction
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SUMMARY
• GM was able to concept and bring to
production an affordable, exciting vehicle in
record time
• This took product design and manufacturing
innovation
• Working with known materials was an
essential element to success
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Q&A
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