H2FORM3G in a nutshell
Exploring the impact of hydrogen on the formability of 3rd generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) for future lightweight vehicles, and developing tools to mitigate the risk of cracking and delayed fracture
ABOUT THE PROJECT
H2FORM3G aims to understand how hydrogen affects the formability of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) to fully exploit their great potential for future lightweight vehicle designs. The project’s main goal is to develop tools to prevent cracking during the manufacturing process and reduce the risk of delayed fractures.
By studying the interaction between hydrogen and the microstructure of quenching and partitioning (Q&P) steels, the project provides novel characterization methodologies and predictive models that will contribute to accelerating the design and optimization of lightweight steel components, reducing vehicle weight by 10-20% and improving crash safety.
H2FORM3G supports the EU steel and automotive industries, which are vital for Europe’s economy and employment. These advancements will accelerate the market introduction of new steel products, decrease the number of failed parts during production, and reduce material waste by 25%.
This initiative aims to advance both environmental sustainability and the competitiveness of European steel market, in line with RFCS Research programme objectives and the European Green Deal Roadmap.
Key Data
PROJECT PHASES
The project is articulated in four different phases, each strategically designed to advance in the demonstration of 3rd Gen AHSS potential for manufacturing lightweight automotive parts.
Interaction of H₂ with steel microstructure
Understanding the correlation between the steel microstructure and the hydrogen charging, as well as the microstructural evolution during plastic deformation.
Formability characterization
Characterizing some of the most critical properties of the studied steels by means of mechanical tests.
Modelling and simulation
Advanced FEM modelling of forming processes including mechanical behaviour and hydrogen diffusion modelling.
Industrial implementation
The industrial implementation of Q&P steels for manufacturing automotive relevant components.
PROGRESS BEYOND THE STATE OF THE ART
Effect of hydrogen on Formability of Q&P 3rd Gen AHSS
Current state: Limited studies have explored hydrogen’s impact on the formability of AHSS, mainly focusing on mechanical properties and HE susceptibility.
H2FORM3G contribution: In H2FORM3G, the global formability of new Q&P steels, with tensile strengths above 1000 MPa, and with known hydrogen concentrations will be deeply investigated and the main damage and deformation mechanisms will be determined. The relationship between microstructural features such as the TRIP effect and the formability of various deformation modes and hydrogen concentrations will be assessed.
Characterisation of hydrogen diffusivity in steels by innovative methodology
Current state: Despite its delicate and time-consuming procedure, the Devanathan-Stachurski cell remains the standard for electrochemical permeation tests While widely used in scientific research, no industrial-grade alternative currently exists.
H2FORM3G contribution: The project will apply a new equipment, automatic and easy to implement, alternative to the conventional electrochemical permeation test that does not require a particular sample preparation.
Advanced characterization of 3rd Gen AHSS in presence of hydrogen
Current state: Although the number of research works dealing with the fracture toughness of Q&P 3rd Gen AHSS has significantly increased in the last years, to the consortium knowledge none have addressed the effect of hydrogen on the fracture toughness of these steels.
H2FORM3G contribution: H2FORM3G will establish a correlation between mechanical loading, phase transformation and hydrogen embrittlement (HE) in 3rd Gen AHSS. Scanning electron microscopy analysis, EBSD and light synchrotron will be carried out on in-situ tensile test samples to study cracking at microstructural scale. These tests will be coupled to finite element analyses based on a crystal plasticity constitutive law accounting for both phase transformation and hydrogen diffusion.
Advances in understanding of the effect of hydrogen on local formability of 3rd Gen AHSS
Current state: Only a few investigations of the effect of hydrogen on the local formability have been published.
H2FORM3G contribution: H2FORM3G will contribute to a deeper understanding of the correlation of local microstructure and local hydrogen accumulation in the local formability of Q&P 3rd Gen AHSS.
FE simulation of forming process considering hydrogen effect
Current state: Different finite elements models have been used to evaluate the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical behaviour, but none of them have taken into account the phase transformation of 3rd Gen AHSS.
H2FORM3G contribution: In H2FORM3G project, a full 3D finite element model will be developed to simulate the forming process accounting for both hydrogen content and phase transformation. Specifically, a FE micro-scale model based on a crystal plasticity constitutive law will be developed. will bring a major benefit by developing two finite element models, at two different scales, by considering both hydrogen content distribution and phase transformation.
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF THE EUROPEAN STEEL INDUSTRY
Credit by ArcelorMittal
H2FORM3G is aligned with the key strategic orientations within the Horizon Europe strategic plan, as it deals with advancements in new steel products in order to decrease the number of failed parts during production, and reduce material waste by 25%.
The project is also aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal:
- Industries with high energy demands, like steel, play a crucial role in Europe’s economy by supporting numerous critical value chains. It is vital to decarbonize and modernize this sector to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
- Contribute to economic growth, focusing on efficiency and sustainability instead of increased resource use.
H2FORM3G is aimed at a high added value sector, by developing novel tools for 3rd Gen steels manufacturing that will enhance the competitivity of the European industry.
EXPECTED RESULTS
H2FORM3G will make a valuable contribution in the field of ultrahigh strength steel microstructure-property relationships with high-relevant scientific results in the following topics:
CONSORTIUM
The H2FORM3G consortium, coordinated by Eurecat Technology Centre, is made up of eleven partners from Spain, France, Austria, and Italy.
Eurecat is the leading Technology Centre of Catalonia, providing the industrial and business sector with differential technology and advanced expertise.
The centre brings together the expertise of more than 750 professionals who generate a volume of income of 62M € per year. Serving two thousand companies, Eurecat is involved in more than 200 projects of R&D national and international with high strategic value and has 200 patents and 10 technology companies.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
Eurecat is in charge of the project management, coordination, and dissemination through the Metal & Ceramic Materials Unit. Eurecat has an important expertise in the characterisation of metallic and ceramic materials for optimising industrial processes and designing components. Besides coordinating H2FORM3G, Eurecat will work on local formability testing, V-bending, in-situ tensile testing under synchrotron light, nanoindentation, technological
specimen forming, and fractographic analysis.
The CELLS consortium manages the Spanish ALBA Synchrotron light source, which currently operates thirteen state-of-the-art beamlines. These beamlines cover a range of applications, including infrared, soft X-rays, and hard X-rays, and are primarily used in biosciences, condensed matter, and materials science research. Notably, metal and alloy studies are conducted at the material science powder diffraction beamline. ALBA-CELLS provides high-end technological and scientific services to over 2,400 researchers annually and collaborates with more than 90 companies. Additionally, it co-leads industry services for SMEs in partnership with other European light sources, participating in projects such as LEAPS-INNOV and ReMade@ARI.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
ALBA will contribute to this project with the development of new multimodal strategies, combining techniques such as X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy and STEM, to analyse characteristic parameters of steel. Specifically, to evaluate hydrogen-steel interaction during in-situ deformation by studying the evolution of stress/strain-induced retained austenite to martensite transformation during crack propagation.
ENSTA Bretagne is a multidisciplinary graduate and postgraduate engineering school and research institute, and it delivers training and conducts research activities in high level ICTs, mechanical sciences and human sciences.
Situated in Brest, this state establishment works in close relationship with numerous industrial and academic partners in France and abroad. Its activities contribute to innovation in numerous fields of application: the maritime, defence and more generally hi-tech sectors (transport, aerospace, energy, digital technologies, research…).
Contribution to H2FORM3G
ENSTA is in charge of the study of the mechanical behaviour of the selected steel grades, including experimental characterization of the as received and H-charged materials. Based on the results, a constitutive model will be developed for these materials to be used in FE simulations of the forming process. The effect of the microstructure and embrittlement mechanisms will be also investigated, and a microscopic FE model will be developed.
ArcelorMittal Maizieres Research (AMMR) is ArcelorMittal’s largest research campus with 4 major activities. The automotive product one employs around 200 researchers and focuses on the development of new steel grades and in-use properties namely.
ArcelorMittal is a world leading steelmaker serving all major global markets and the largest steel producer in the EU. Its research and development division, Global R&D, employs around 1700 full-time researchers across 14 worldwide research sites in 9 countries.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
AMMR role in this project is firstly to prepare and supply the industrial steel blanks, to all partners including 3rd Gen AHSS steel. In addition, AMMR is leading the tasks related to microstructural and mechanical characterizations. AMMR will also be involved in the determination of a common procedure for hydrogen charging, the characterization of interactions of hydrogen with microstructure and perform delayed fracture risk assessment on lab demonstrators.
voestalpine Stahl GmbH is a business unit in the Steel Division of the voestalpine Group and was founded in 1987. In Linz (Upper Austria), voestalpine Stahl GmbH operates a fully integrated steel mill with an annual capacity of 5.9 Mt steel for flat products. Core aggregates include three blast furnaces (BF) and three basic-oxygen furnaces (BOF). About 7,000 employees work in the manufacturing and processing of high-quality hot-rolled and cold-rolled, electrogalvanized, hot-dip galvanized and organic-coated steel strip. voestalpine Stahl GmbH ranks among the leading suppliers of the European automotive, domestic appliance, machinery and construction industries, as well as of the energy and gas processing industry. The company’s vision is continuous improvement of the steel production process with respect to efficiency, raw materials, sustainability, environment and climate protection. Stronger, lighter, more corrosion-resistant products and new dimensions are determining factors in the decision-making processes of voestalpine.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
Within the H2FORM3G-project, voestalpine is one of the industrial partners and industrial material deliverers. Further, voestalpine is responsible for the basic characterization in terms of mechanical properties and microstructure. Permeation measurements are carried out on all materials, which serve as input for later simulations.
Centro Ricerche FCA (CRF) is an industrial research organization providing R&D and innovation services for the different companies of the FCA group and its automotive suppliers. The core competence of CRF is centred on land transportation and advanced technologies, materials, and processes for the aforementioned organizations. CRF is equipped with state–of–the-art laboratories for the researching, engineering, and testing of material, processes, and technologies, from the long term research up to the materials and processes validation and standardization, capable to guaranteeing a prompt transfer to the sectorial product design functions.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
The following CRF departments will participate in the H2FORM3G project: Metal Alloys and Surface Treatment, Physical and Chemical Testing, Environment and Legislation, New materials and process technologies and the Manufacturing Research Business Line.
MA S.r.l (MA) is the automotive division for the sheet metal forming of parts
for passenger cars and commercial vehicles of the CLN Group.
MA is a leader in the production of metal parts for automotive for every type of vehicles (passenger car, light commercial vehicles, heavy truck).
Contribution to H2FORM3G
The work of MA within the H2FORM3G project will be focused on the production of the demonstrators using the chosen steel in different conditions: as-received conditions; and after hydrogen pre-charging with two different hydrogen contents
Before stamping, MA will carry out a simulation of the stamping process to predict the strain and stress (Ls-Dyna software) in the different areas of the component using the FLD and data provided in previous tasks. MA will define a DOE, describing the possible industrial conditions (lubrification, blank holder pressure, etc.) and MA will select the main influencing parameters and will produce physical parts accordingly. The results of these tests will enable to select the forming conditions on one hand and will be implemented in Task 6.3 to apply the hydrogen diffusion model. After the stamping, the strain conditions will be measured by Argus instrumentation (grid test).
Letomec is an innovative SME and a Spin-off company of the University of Pisa, promoting scientific and technological research by developing cutting-edge solutions for Hydrogen Industry. The company operates consultancy services and research activities aimed at studying the effect of hydrogen on materials’ behaviour and improving technologies for energy transition, resulting in this way a reference laboratory for several large industrial companies of national and international scenarios.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
In H2FORM3G, Letomec will investigate hydrogen-steel interaction determining material parameters for hydrogen diffusion FE model and realizing experimental on the final demonstrator in the plant.
Université Bretagne Sud (UBS)
is a multidisciplinary university located in 3 campuses over South Brittany in France. It offers academic programmes to 10,000 students from bachelor’s level to the doctorate in different areas: arts, social sciences, engineering, computer science, biochemistry, mathematics, law, economics, and business. Research at UBS, with 255 researchers and 200 PhD students, is organised into 4 specialities within 14 research units: law-economics-management, languages and social sciences, mathematics-information and communications sciences and mechanics-materials-marine biochemistry and coastal studies. Its research income is nearly 5.5 M€ / year.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
UBS participates in the H2FORM3G project through the research unit “Institut de Recherche Dupuy de Lôme” (IRDL, UMR CNRS 6027) for mechanical systems related to the engineering of materials and systems used in industrial sectors related to the automobile, energy, aeronautics, health, and transport industries. The UBS team of IRDL has a large experience in the characterization and modelling of metallic materials for forming processes. UBS/IRDL will contribute to the characterization of the mechanical behavior up to rupture of the materials of the H2FORM3G project. The aim is to determine the formability limits of the base materials, and the hydrogen charged ones, to bring a contribution to the virtual forming of H₂ embrittled materials.
The University of Pisa (UNIPI) is a public institution of advanced teaching and research with 20 departments, 17 libraries, and 13 museums, besides 26 centers. Dating back to 1343, the University of Pisa represents today a dynamic cultural environment devoted to research, education, technology transfer, and public engagement in all disciplinary areas. In the QS World University Rankings 2023, UNIPI ranked 7th at the Italian level and 404th worldwide. According to the latest (2021) Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), UNIPI ranks amongst 151-200 academic institutions worldwide. UNIPI is currently involved in 236 EU-funded R&I projects under Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, and other European programs (EU contribution: €84.5 million), 68 of them as coordinator (EU contribution: € 38.9 million). Projects range from Frontier research to technological development, from exploitation of research results to innovation development.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
UNIPI contributes to H2FORM3G’s goals through the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering (DICI). DICI has a long tradition in Mechanics of Materials and Machine Design, with a focus on issues related to the interaction between hydrogen and materials. In the H2FORM3G project, DICI oversees developing constitutive models for hydrogen diffusion and trapping in the third generation of Advanced High-Strength Steels. These models will be implemented and validated in general-purpose software currently used for assessing the risk of hydrogen in structural components.
Institut de la Corrosion (IC), also knowns as French Corrosion Institute, is established in Brest, France since April 2002. IC is a subsidiary of Research Institute Sweden (RISE) with main office in Gothenburg, Sweden. The core business of IC is corrosion testing, research and development in the field of protection against corrosion. In France, with a team of 55 technicians, engineers and researchers, the French Corrosion Institute excels in conducting corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, hydrogen embrittlement and fatigue-corrosion tests and studies in challenging environments for all the industrial sectors, including the automotive industry.
Contribution to H2FORM3G
IC has a large experience in participating in European projects. For the H2FORM3G Project the expertise and facilities of the IC will be used for the understanding of hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steels and controlling the amount of hydrogen before mechanical testing.
NEWS & EVENTS
Eurecat and ALBA Synchrotron showcase four collaborative projects during ALBA Open Day 2024
On November 16, 2024, the ALBA Synchrotron opened again its doors to the public for its annual Open Day, an event that has been opening up science to the society since 2012. The 2024 edition included ten interactive demonstrations and experiments, providing visitors with insights into research projects carried [...]
European Project Studies the Effect of Hydrogen on the Manufacturing of Components for Safer Vehicles
The European project H2FORM3G, coordinated by Eurecat Technology Centre, is studying the effect of hydrogen in the manufacturing of third-generation advanced high-strength steel components for its implementation in the design of lightweight vehicles. It is well known that the use of high-strength steels allows for a weight reduction in [...]
H2FORM3G project kicks off to contribute to safe implementation of 3rd generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) in the automotive sector
The H2FORM3G project has kicked off. Project partners have met in Manresa (Spain) on July 10th 2024, aiming to prevent the risk of cracking and delayed fracture of 3rd generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) to ensure their safe implementation in the automotive sector. During the meeting, which was assisted by [...]
Presenting seven RFCS projects coordinated by Eurecat to the Cluster of the Automotive Industry of Catalonia
Eurecat organised a meeting with representatives from the Cluster of the Automotive Industry of Catalonia (CIAC) at the facilities of the centre in Manresa (Spain) on July 10th, 2024. The purpose of the meeting was to demonstrate the efforts made by Eurecat to promote R+D+I projects, laboratories, materials and [...]
RESOURCES
Here is a list of H2FORM3G work packages and deliverables:
WP1: Project management, coordination and dissemination
D1.1: Comprehensive overview of the project (State-ofthe-Art)
D1.2: Communication and deliverable plan
D.1.3: Risk assessment and continency plan
D.1.4: Final report
WP2- Characterisation of the microstructure and the phase transformation of 3rd Gen AHSS
D.2.1: Metallurgical information of the studied steels
D.2.2: Microstructure evolution analysis as function of press-strain level and deformation path
WP3- Mechanical characterisation and comprehension of failure mechanisms: experiments and modelling
D.3.1: Mechanical characterisation of the as-received materials
D.3.2: Mechanical characterisation of the H-charged materials
D.3.3: Modelling of the mechanical behaviour of the as-received and H-charged materials
D.3.4: Influence of H on failure mechanisms at microscopic scale: experiments and simulation
WP4- Evaluation of H interaction with steel microstructure
D.4.1: Report on procedures for laboratory charging and optimal H maintaining procedure
D.4.2: Report on H diffusion parameters and trapping sites
D.4.3: Report on procedures for large samples charging
WP5- Identification of the formability limits and simulation of forming process
D.5.1: Formability limits of the three materials, in base and charged conditions
D.5.2: Forming of technological specimens
WP6- Forming of industrial scale demonstrator and characterisation of the delayed fracture
D.6.1: Realisation of a demonstrator
D.6.2: H diffusion model: development and validation
WP7- Exploitation of results and elaboration of application guidelines
D.7.1: Application guidelines and procedure set up
D.7.2: Report on LCA and DNSH compliance of the proposed solutions
D.7.3: Workshop organisation
Download below the H2FORM3G promotional materials, containing key information about the project.
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See below a selection of articles featuring H2FORM3G project
November 22nd, 2024 | Interempresas
Eurecat lidera tres proyectos europeos para impulsar nuevos componentes de acero de alta resistencia(Spanish)
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November 14th, 2024 | Smart Factory Magazine
Impulso hacia nuevos componentes de acero de alta resistencia para la automoción y la energía eólica(Spanish)
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November 4th, 2024 | AcerMetal
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November 1st, 2024 | Industry Talks
October 31st, 2024 | Metal Industria
October 31st, 2024 | Review Energy
Eurecat leads European projects to revolutionize mobility and offshore wind energy
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October 31st, 2024 | Nació Digital
Eurecat Manresa lidera tres projectes europeus sobre acer d’alta resistència (Catalan)
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October 31st, 2024 | Regió7
Eurecat Manresa lidera projectes europeus per 8,2 milions d’euros (Catalan)
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CONTACT US
The H2FORM3G project has received funding from the European Union’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS): project num. 101157237. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
