Introducing BM-Stamp: ESI’s New Stamping Simulation Solution for Automotive Body Manufacturing

Body Manufacturing – Stamp (BM-S) is our new stamping solution and is tailored exclusively for key automotive stamping processes, including line die/transfer die, hotforming, and progressive die operations. Featuring an intuitive graphical interface and a highly accurate solver, BM-Stamp ensures reliable simulation results for formability, dimensional accuracy (springback), and cosmetic quality (surface defects). It provides a fully virtual pressline environment in which any line die process can be defined, tested, and optimized long before physical tools are produced and stamping try-outs begin. This approach greatly reduces the risk of late-stage modifications, high costs, and extended lead times.

Our primary goal is to offer high-quality simulation capabilities accessible to users of all skill levels. With an open, flexible platform, BM-Stamp also supports future integration of third-party tools, such as those for die face design and CAD reconstruction for compensated tools.

This initial release primarily focuses on the validation phase for cold-formed stamped components with line/transfer die process and integrates with major CAD platforms for smooth data continuity. However, in addition, BM-Stamp provides also already distinct advantages in early feasibility stages, especially for Class-A panels, by identifying cosmetic defects, and addressing challenges like unexpected edge-cracking and excessive springback in high-strength steel structural components.

At ESI, we are shifting our focus on providing comprehensive solutions for automotive manufacturing, rather than just isolated tools for individual processes. Our goal is to create virtual value chains, where data can flow seamlessly between different stages and processes. This approach will help our customers to manage the entire automotive production process more efficiently.

With our new initiative, "Body Manufacturing - Stamp" (BM-Stamp), we took a major step forward. Our aim is to cover not only stamping but also casting, assembly, and performance validation, including crashworthiness, in one unified platform. By integrating this solution into the ESI Visual Environment, we fill the gap for stamping manufacturing, enabling users to switch smoothly between processes like stamping, casting, and assembly based on their needs.

Another key motivation was accessibility. We’ve simplified the simulation setup dramatically. Users no longer need advanced finite element expertise or to manually adjust complex numerical parameters. BM-Stamp mimics stamping shop-floor practices, so even those with little experience in simulation can use it effectively. This opens up our high-precision simulation tools to a wider audience, making the stamping engineering process more efficient and reliable.

First of all, we’re confident in BM-Stamp because it’s designed to offer the same high accuracy as PAM-STAMP while adding enhanced simplicity and usability. For existing PAM-STAMP users, specifically in the automotive stamping industry, BM-Stamp maintains our trusted precision but streamlines and simplifies the workflow. It brings added value by being easier to use, more efficient, and specifically tailored for the key automotive stamping processes.

Secondly, many companies using a competitor’s solution still face delays and high costs during physical trials because of the gap between simulation and actual outcomes. This is especially true for tough-to-manufacture parts, like high-strength steel or aluminum components. While our PAM-STAMP solver already addresses these issues, BM-Stamp simplifies the entire process modeling. It completely removes the need for complex numerical adjustments as well as manual meshing, making the stamping simulation accessible to engineers at all skill levels. BM-Stamp allows users to get up to speed very quickly — learning the basics in just an hour and becoming productive within a day.

As I mentioned before, our new solution is all about making things easier to use. One of the biggest improvements is that you no longer have to deal with tedious mesh corrections. Our new automated meshing algorithms, along with smart data cleaning, handle it for you.

The solution also simplifies setup by enabling rapid development of the overall process plan. Users can in one feature specify the number of operations and designate active tools, and then assign them to either the RAM or BED of the press. CAMs can be linked directly to RAM progression, with automatic tool assignments for forming or trimming actions.

To ensure ease of use, the solution offers company-specific templates, which help engineers switch smoothly between feasibility checks and detailed validation simulations, minimizing errors and promoting consistent results.

Understanding the iterative nature of stamping engineering, the solution also includes a flexible replace function for tool swapping via drag-and-drop, which will trigger an automatic update of the setup.

Additional functionalities include accurate multi-operation springback compensation, integrated surface defect detection in a virtual light room through light reflection analysis, and a dedicated module for addressing the impact of specific tool designs and press choices on final part quality, by taking into account the small elastic deformations occurring during the stamping process.

Designed for customization, the solution supports multiple languages and offers a script-based, ASCII input foundation, enabling customers to tailor the tool to their needs and streamline integration into existing workflows.

As ESI introduces its new stamping simulation solution for automotive processes, BM-Stamp, the well-known PAM-STAMP will transition into a maintenance phase for the primary automotive processes. This shift means that while PAM-STAMP will continue to receive support and maintenance to ensure consistent quality during the migration, BM-Stamp will become the primary tool for automotive stamping simulations going forward.

However, PAM-STAMP remains a crucial resource for advanced forming processes commonly used in the aerospace sector, including tube bending, stretch forming, stretch bending, superplastic forming, membrane flex forming, and rubber pad forming. These specialized applications require  a high degree of flexibility in process modeling and frequently also a need for tailoring the input data, which requires access to numerical parameters.

With this dual approach, ESI can provide dedicated solutions for both the automotive and aerospace industries, ensuring that existing customers experience a seamless transition while continuing to support advanced aerospace processes through PAM-STAMP. This strategy not only preserves the strengths of PAM-STAMP but also allows us to push the boundaries of innovation in automotive stamping with BM-Stamp.