Several automotive and metal forming companies are investigating the potential of a new high velocity metal forming method invented and developed by Glenn Daehn, professor of materials science and engineering, to solve metal forming problems. Daehn and partners American Trim and General Motors have received a $1 million grant from Ohio’s Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program for a research and development pilot plant for the manufacture of the metal bipolar plates for fuel cells.
American Trim, located in Lima, Ohio, will use high velocity electromagnetic forming — technology developed by Daehn — to produce usable prototype bipolar plates that have all the required flowfield features. At the conclusion of this project, American Trim expects to have the design and manufacturing parameters required to produce commercial quantities of fuel cell plates sufficient to support a full production line employing 270 people.