Resource efficiency in bodywork parts production

The need for even greater efficiency in handling resources is coming to be seen as a public duty in politics, commerce and research. At the same time this raises the question of what options are open to companies in the manufacturing industries - and, in particular, the OEMs and suppliers to the automotive industry - for reducing costs as well as deployment of resources and emissions. In addition to illustrating and analysing the relevance of this topic as far as forming technology is concerned, the following article discusses a selection of approaches that are being adopted in the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology with a view to reducing the consumption of resources, particularly in the bodywork parts production sector.