When developing new materials before they are launched on the market as part of the material approval process the steel producers prove not only the basic material characterisation, but also the processability in terms of joining technology. The reason for this is the requirement for compatibility with the entire further processing process. In the past these tests were carried out according to the specifications of the individual automobile manufacturers. This resulted in a large and cost-intensive test effort which significantly delayed the introduction of new steels and made them unnecessarily expensive.
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