As one of the essential components of automobiles, the design process of forgings for new energy vehicles involves many aspects. This article will explore this topic from two perspectives: national policies and actual production, with practical examples.
From the perspective of national policies, the Chinese government has established various standards and guidelines for the design and manufacture of forgings for new energy vehicles. “Regulations on Development, Testing, Confirmation, and Release of Automotive Parts” (QC/T 1043-2017) stipulates that the design of forgings for new energy vehicles should be based on factors such as the vehicle’s design and usage environment, technology, quality requirements, safety requirements, and economic benefits. Additionally, this standard lays out the testing, confirmation, and release process for forgings. Furthermore, automotive industry standard QC/T 511-2017 “Classification and Use of Materials for Forging” states that in material selection, the specific characteristics the forging requires such as strength, impact toughness, corrosion resistance, and crack sensitivity should be considered. It also emphasizes the need for comprehensive analysis based on the specific use conditions.
In actual production, the design process of forgings for new energy vehicles needs to consider various factors. For example, aluminum-alloy forgings become the mainstream choice for automobile manufacturing due to environmental protection and energy-saving requirements. Carbon fiber-reinforced composite forgings are gradually being applied as well. The selection of these materials needs to take into account factors such as strength, hardness, weight, corrosion resistance, and the optimization of the forging process under specific production conditions. Additionally, different requirements exist for forgings needed in the battery pack, engine, and chassis.
As an example, Tesla uses a series of forgings to support its complex electric drive system. This includes brake components, battery casing, electric drive unit components, and critical chassis components. Tesla’s design process optimizes the performance of forgings and ensures their industrial production capabilities. The design process needs to be verified through numerical simulation, virtual prototypes, and real tests.
In summary, designing forgings for new energy vehicles requires consideration of many factors with different standards and guidelines from national policies and actual production. Only by selectively choosing appropriate materials, production technologies, and taking into account market demand and product performance during the design and production process can high-quality forgings for new energy vehicles be achieved.
