Low-Carbon-Emission Hot Stamping: A Review from the Perspectives of Steel Grade, Heating Process, and Part Design

Hot stamping steels have become a crucial strategy for achieving lightweighting and enhancing crash safety in the automotive industry over the past two decades. However, the carbon emissions of the materials and their related stamping processes have been frequently overlooked. It is essential to consider these emissions during the design stage. Emerging materials and technologies in hot stamping pose challenges to the automotive industry's future development in carbon emission reduction. This review discusses the promising materials for future application and their special features, as well as the emerging manufacturing and part design processes that have extended the limit of application for new materials. Advanced heating processes and corresponding equipment have been proven to improve heating efficiency and control temperature uniformity. The material utilization and the overall performance of the components are improved by tailored blanks and an integrated part design approach. To achieve low-carbon-emission (LCE) hot stamping, it is necessary to systematically consider the steel grade, heating process, and part design, rather than solely focusing on reducing carbon emissions during the manufacturing process stage. This review aims to present the latest progress in steel grade, heating process, and part design of hot stamping in the automotive industry, providing solutions for LCE from a holistic perspective.