Auto/Steel Partnership, General Motors and University of Waterloo Receive Award at Annual Great Designs in Steel Symposium

NOVI, Mich. – The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) awarded its Automotive Excellence Award today to the Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP), General Motors and the University of Waterloo for their groundbreaking work in advanced simulation methods to improve weld integrity in automotive structures. The award was presented at the 23rd annual Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) symposium on Wednesday, May 21 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich.

The award-winning project, titled “Advanced Industrial Simulation Method for Spot Weld Separation Validated with Components,” was presented at GDIS 2024 by Tingting Zhang of General Motors on behalf of the A/SP. The work was a collaborative research and validation project which involved a team of nine individuals representing the A/SP, General Motors and the University of Waterloo. The award was presented to General Motors’ Tingting Zhang and Hassan Ghassemi-Armaki, University of Waterloo’s Mohammad Shojaee, Cameron Tolton, Abdelbaset Midawi, Michael Worswick, Elliot Biro and Cliff Butcher and A/SP’s Eric McCarty.

Selected by members of AISI’s Automotive Applications Council, the project was recognized for its high-quality research and immediate applicability to the automotive industry. The team’s work increases confidence in resistance spot weld simulations and leads to broader utilization of Advanced High Strength Steel.

Simulation methods have become an increasingly essential component in modern automotive body structure design, enabling faster development cycles, reduced costs and robust design solutions prior to hardware builds. A critical factor in these analytical methods is the accurate simulation of structural joint integrity. The award-winning research introduced a methodology that uses both standard and advanced steel coupon tests to derive the mechanical properties of single-spot welds and develop a failure surface capable of predicting weld separation under complex loading conditions. These calibrated material models, or “material cards,” can be integrated into finite element simulations of welded structural components subjected to quasi-static and dynamic forces. The result is a more accurate and predictive simulation capability that enhances the structural performance of future vehicle designs.

General Motors also received an honorable mention for the Chevrolet Blazer EV Body Structure presentation by Dr. Hoda Eiliat, senior integration lead- body structures. The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV was the winner of the 2024 MotorTrend SUV of the Year® award, and the committee congratulates Dr. Eiliat and the General Motors team for their innovative use of steel in their BEV3 Crossover Architecture.

The AISI Automotive Excellence Award is presented each year at GDIS. It recognizes individuals or teams from automakers, suppliers or the academic community who have revolutionized the industry and made significant contributions to the advancement of steel in the automotive market. Award winners are chosen from presentations at the previous year’s GDIS symposium. Candidates are rated in several categories, including challenges and benefits associated with cost, mass reduction and performance and overall contribution to the advancement of steel and implementation in production.

GDIS debuted in 2002 with 545 registrants and has grown in attendance and scope. In 2024, more than 1,000 attendees from the steel industry, North American vehicle manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, equipment suppliers, academia and media attended the event. AISI automotive program members include ArcelorMittal and Cleveland–Cliffs, Inc.  This year’s GDIS featured 25  technical presentations on vehicle architectures, manufacturing, materials and joining technologies. The agenda included a steel industry keynote address by Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., and an automotive keynote address from Wolfgang Maluche, vp of engineering at Volkswagen Group of America, and three featured OEM vehicle architecture presentations from GM, VW and Rivian.

Helping to support this year’s event are gold sponsors Gestamp, Profil and Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd; silver sponsor Auto/Steel Partnership; bronze sponsors ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks, AutoForm, Dreistern, FUCHS, GEDIA, GNS North America, Lincoln Electric, Mubea, Multimatic, RB&W Corporation, Rhino Industrial Laser Solutions, TOX and TWB; media partners Center for Automotive Research, Precision Metalforming Association and Fabricators and Manufacturers Association International; and networking social hour sponsor Rivian.

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Contact: 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’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers, steel pipe and tube manufacturers, and steel processors and fabricators reflecting the production and distribution of both carbon and stainless steels which are critical to the everyday lives of all Americans — including national security, roads and bridges, buildings, the electrical grid, clean energy technologies and the automotive market. AISI also represents 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, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.