Paper on Advanced High Strength Steels Above 1 GPa Wins 2021 SAE/AISI Sydney H. Melbourne Award

July 15, 2021

SOUTHFIELD, MI – July 15, 2021 – Four individuals representing academia received the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE)/American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Sydney H. Melbourne Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Automotive Sheet Steel for their paper on change in properties due to bake hardening which increases the strength of advanced high strength steel (AHSS).

 

The paper, SAE #2020-01-0536, is titled “Bake Hardening Behavior of DP, TBF, and PHS Steels with Ultimate Tensile Strengths Exceeding 1 GPa.” The award-winning authors of the paper, from the Colorado School of Mines, are: Brandon W. Blesi, Materials Engineer, at the time a graduate student; Charles Smith, graduate student; David K. Matlock, emeritus professor; and Emmanuel De Moor, associate professor.

 

“This year’s winning authors have effectively captured the change in material properties due to bake hardening in AHSS, which is key to effective product application and simulation accuracy. These materials will be key in protecting battery systems in electric vehicle platforms – which is critical to advancements and innovations in the auto industry,” said John Catterall, vice president, automotive program for AISI. “OEMs will be looking at these hardened steel grades for use in safety components as the move toward electrification grows.”

 

Established in 1997 to honor the accomplishments of the late Sydney H. Melbourne of Dofasco Inc., the award recognizes steel and automotive industry employees who strive for the level of excellence Melbourne attained with his organization. The award acknowledges an author or authors whose paper demonstrates ways to further the use of sheet steel in automotive applications. The paper must be well organized, succinct, possess excellent technical merit and help foster long-term benefits to sheet steel industry professionals worldwide. The award will continue to be offered in 2022.

 

The award was presented by SAE International, a U.S.-based global association of nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries, and is sponsored in conjunction with AISI.

 

####

CONTACT:

TRACEY RETTIG
248.798.7396/trettig@steel.org

LISA HARRISON
202.452.7115/lharrison@steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace steelmakers, and associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).