Biography - Thailand Automotive Institute

Abstracts
High Strength Steel for Automotive Parts
Assistant Professor Vitoon Uthaisangsuk, Dr.-Ing.
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
E-mail: vitoon.uth@kmutt.ac.th
In the automotive industry, demand on the Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) has continuously
increased due to the aims regarding weight reduction, improved passive safety features, energy saving
considerations and environmental impact. The European program ULSAB-AVC (Ultra Light Steel Auto Body-
Advanced Vehicle Technology) reported that in new generation vehicles AHSS grades represent about 82% of
the body structure mass, of which around 74% are DP (Dual Phase)grades, 4% are TRIP (Transformation
Induced Plasticity) grade and the remaining 4% are the CP(Complex) and martensite steel grade. Such
multiphase steels show superior combination of high strength, crash energy management, excellent formability
and dent resistance. These advantageous properties in comparison to conventional steels are not only resulted
from solid solution hardening, grain refinement and precipitation hardening, but also due to the coexistence of
softer and harder phases and different grain sizes. Conventional HSS is formed by adding certain alloys,
whereas AHSS is formed by controlling the cooling rate. Adequate mechanical properties of DP steel are
depending on fraction and distribution of martensite in the ferritic matrix. The plasticity enhancement of TRIP
steel concerning transformation of metastable austenite to martensite during deformation is a great
technological challenge. In modern vehicles, the AHSSs were principally used for example as pillars, front-side
members and floor side reinforcement.
Biography
Dr. Vitoon Uthaisangsuk is an assistant professor and course director of postgraduate
studies at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Mongkut's University of
Technology Thonburi. He was a Thai government scholarship holder. He graduated
from RWTH Aachen University, Germany with a diploma and PhD in Mechanical and
Metallurgical Engineering. His main research interests are advanced high strength
steels, mechanical metallurgy, fracture and damage mechanics as well as Finite
Element analysis. His current research works include investigation of manufacturing,
mechanical and forming behaviour of high strength steel sheets for automotive parts.
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