Die materials

for forging and Al casting

at

Makoto Komori
Powertrain Production Engineering Div.
Yokohama, JAPAN
1. Nissan current situation
2. Nissan challenges
3. Materials Nissan needs
1. Nissan current situation
2. Nissan challenges
3. Materials Nissan needs
Vision - NISSAN: Enriching people's lives
350Z
X-TRAIL

MICRA
Mission - Nissan provides unique and
innovative automotive products and services
that deliver superior measurable values to all
stakeholders in alliance with Renault.
Nissan production sites in Japan
Kyushu
Plant

Iwaki Plant

Tochigi Plant

Tokyo HQ

Yokohama
Plant
Oppama Plant
Research Center
Technical Zama OC
Center
Forging dies
Process
• Hot forging
• Semi hot forging
• Warm forging
• Cold forging

Hot forging line

Forging dies
Products

Axle parts
Engine parts Hot forging
Hot forging

Final drive parts CVJ parts

Semi-Hot forging + Cold sizing Warm forging + Cold sizing
Forging dies
Fractures

Fatal breakage

Low cycle fatigue

Forging dies
Surface damages

Wear Heat crack

Erosion Flake off

Die materials
Warm forging (CVJ parts)
WC-Co
Cermet Semi-hot forging (gears)
Wear resistance

PM-HSS

M2 Matrix HSS Hot forging (hubs)

Hot forging
H10
(crankshaft, con-rod)

H13

1.2714

Toughness
Die materials
Less primary
carbides

Matrix HSS
(57HRC)
Good wear
resistance w/o
cracking
M2 H13
(60HRC) (48HRC)
Cracked Worn
immediately immediately
 Die materials
Ceramics

WC-Co
Hardness (HV)

Cermet

HSS

Tool Steels

KIC (kgfmm-3/2)
Al casting dies
Process
• PDC
• SDC
• VDC
• LPDC
VDC line
Al casting dies
’50s ’60s ’70s ’80s ’90s ’00s
I/M
(GDC) C/H
R/W
(GDC)
(LPDC)
C/H C/B
T/M (LPDC) (LPDC)
(PDC) C/B
(PDC) EMB
(SDC)
K/S
(SDC)
R/W
(CF) L/L
(VDC)
Al casting dies
Products

Engine cylinder block

PDC
Al casting dies
Products Upper Arm
Forging

Suspension Member
Press

Lower Link
VDC

Axle Housing
SDC
Road Wheel
LPDC
LPDC or
or Forging
Forging
Al casting dies
Damages

Heat crack

Breakage Adhesion

Soldering
Crack from
water channel
 Die materials
at elevated temperature
WC-Co Cermet

PM-HSS
Pins
Strength

M2 Matrix HSS
Cores

H10

H13

1.2714

Toughness
1. Nissan current situation
2. Nissan challenges
3. Materials Nissan needs
Global sales
Commitment
in thousands of vehicles

forecast forecast
New models release
 Higher quality

Profitable
growth
New models
New markets

Speed New production sites Cost

etc.
reduction
 Higher quality

Profitable
growth
New models
New markets

Speed New production sites Cost

etc.
reduction
Higher quality

A single word that captures the passion and

commitment that has revived Nissan and drives our
future. Everything we touch, we shift. And everything
we shift, we try to make better and uniquely Nissan.
What does "SHIFT_" mean at Nissan?
SHIFT_ thinking changes the way we look at things,
the way we do things and the way we react to life
around us. It is more than kaizen. It's no longer about
just doing, but doing for a purpose, doing effectively.
It is change, but change driven for better, faster,
higher performance. Our job is to create value, and
we believe great products define a great carmaker.
We are not afraid to take the lead at times or to
stretch the boundaries in wider, better directions.
When you change the way you look at reality, you will
find that amazing things can happen. That's the
NISSAN spirit -- the Nissan SHIFT_.
SHIFT_design

Premium Sports + SUV

Higher quality

HR15DE engine + CVT

20% 37%

MR20DE engine + CVT

Higher quality
Near Net Shaping
22
20
18
16

Underfill /mm2
14
37
12
10 38
8 20 .0 00 - 22.0 00
6 39
18 .0 00 - 20.0 00
16 .0 00 - 18.0 00
4
14 .0 00 - 16.0 00
2 12 .0 00 - 14.0 00
50.0 40
10 .0 00 - 12.0 00
52.5
Mandrel diamet er / mm 8.00 0 -1 0.00 0
55.0
6.00 0 -8 .0 00
57.5 41
4.00 0 -6 .0 00
Esc ape hole diamet er / mm 60.0
2.00 0 -4 .0 00

Helical Gear Die design with CAE

 Speed
Die design with CAE YOURS-PRO

Automatic drawing Check-up quality

DEFORM Die geometry YOURS In-house FEM

Transfer Input Output

P, V, t finisher optimized
geometry geometry

WEAR Wear distribution Preform optimization module

Automatic die design system

1.2
0-0
0-5000
1 0-10000
0-12000
0.8 C .T.0
12000
10000
0.6 5000
c.v.
0.4

0.2

18.5
12.5

15.5

21.5

24.5
0.5

3.5

6.5

9.5
11

14

17

20

23
2

-0.2

Die wear prediction

Speed
20 EDM
L/D of cutting tool

15 V6 engine
crankshaft die
Precision
milling
10 CVJ warm
L4 engine forging punch
crankshaft die
CVJ sizing
5 punch
Con-rod die Inner lace
die

Conventional 40 50 60 70
milling Hardness (HRC)
Surface modification
Surface temperature

Warm Hot forging Ceramics

Hot forging forging Plastic
Abrasion Semi-hot Wear deformation Super alloy
forging SDC

Wear Adhesion
PDC
Soldering
HSS
PDC Hot forging
Adhesion Wear
PDC Hot work steel
Heat check Nitriding
Fatigue
crack

Damaged depth
Surface modification
Against soldering
Oxide film for Al casting dies

Nitriding + Oxide film

Nitriding +
Oxide film
Nitriding
Nitriding

0 1 2 3 4
Weight loss ratio (%)
Surface modification
Surface temperature

PVD

Warm Hot forging Ceramics

Hot forging forging Plastic
Abrasion Semi-hot Wear deformation Super alloy
forging SDC

Wear Adhesion
PDC
Soldering
HSS
PDC Hot forging
Adhesion Wear
PDC Hot work steel
Heat check Nitriding
Fatigue
crack

Damaged depth
Surface modification
Against wear at the temperature more than Ac1 of die steel
<0.5mm heat affected at the near surface
PVD coating for hot forging
3500
3000
TiAlN
2500
Hardness (HV)

New coating
2000 CrN
1500 TiN
H13 nitrided
1000
H13
500

0
R.T 700℃x1h 800℃x1h
Surface modification
Surface temperature

Warm Hot forging Ceramics

Hot forging forging Plastic
Abrasion Semi-hot Wear deformation Super alloy
forging SDC

Wear Adhesion
PDC
Soldering
HSS
Cladding
PDC Hot forging
Adhesion Wear
PDC Hot work steel
Heat check Nitriding
Fatigue
crack

Damaged depth
Surface modification
Against wear at the temperature more than Ac1 of die steel
>0.5mm heat affected at the near surface
Heat resist alloy cladding for hot forging

Tool steel Heat resist alloy

1. Nissan current situation
2. Nissan challenges
3. Materials Nissan needs
Low deviation of high toughness
Ave. 6,700 Ave. 10,000 (only wear)
6 Brekage
Wear
5

4
Frequency

0
<2000 <4000 <6000 <8000 <10000 <12000 <14000
Die life

Die life deviation of NNS hot forging

Low deviation of high toughness
Ave. 6,700 Ave. 10,000 (only wear)
6 Brekage
Wear
5

4
Frequency

0
<2000 <4000 <6000 <8000 <10000 <12000 <14000
Die life

Die life deviation of NNS hot forging

Higher performance after surface modification

Damaged Elevated Applied Surface Die material needs

depth temperature surface modification
modification needs

< 0.5mm < Ac1 of Nitriding Deeper case Deeper case

die Sulpho- Partial heat
nitriding treatment
material
Oxide film
> Ac1 of Nitriding + Coating on the Higher Ac1
Heat-resist interior of deep
die Higher thermal
hard coating cavity
material conductivity
> 0.5mm Heat-resist- HAZ reduction Less properties loss
material Auto-cladding in HAZ
cladding or
inserts
High performance
clad material
Available hardened / rough machined delivery
Raw Rough Hardening Finishing Surface
material machine treatment

Forging dies (Larger) According to Oil quench

drawings

Forging dies According to

drawings
(Smaller)

Casting dies According to Oil or air

drawings quench
(General)

Casting dies Outsource

(Against heat crack) Oil or HPG
quench

Material suppliers Win – Win NISSAN

responsibilities responsibilities
Partnership
Maximized its properties by heat treatment

Material + Heat treatment

• High impact toughness
• Less dimension changes 200mm
450mm
• Homogeneous hardness distribution 400mm
• No crack

after the heat treatment done by a

recommended heat treater

Even H13 must get better

properties with excellent
heat treatment!
Good machinability

PDC core machined from the H13

block hardened to 43HRC
Tool steels Nissan needs
• Low deviation of high toughness
• Higher performance after surface modification
• Available hardened / rough machined delivery
• Maximized its properties by heat treatment
• Good machinability

SHIFT_die materials
Thank you for your attention!
We look forward to proposals.