Performance-index mass forecasting for substitution of Hot-stamped 22MnB5 in crash management system

Hot-stamping (HSng) of 22MnB5 enables high-strength crash structures but entails substantial process energy and environmental burdens. This study evaluates eco-efficient substitutions that may increase component mass while preserving crash performance. We develop an estimation approach based on the Material Index (MI) of the Ashby method. This approach predicts the mass required by cold-formed Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) - Martensitic Steel (MS), Dual Phase (DP) and Complex Phase (CP) - to achieve functional equivalence to a Hot-stamped (HS) 22MnB5 bumper crossbeam. The indices incorporate stiffness, yield strength, and fracture toughness and are combined in a weighted ratio referenced to the measured mass of the baseline part. Benchmarking is conducted via explicit finite-element simulations of a front Crash Management System (CMS) crossbeam in RCAR-aligned bumper low-speed structural setups, using absorbed energy, peak/mean contact forces, maximum displacement, and impact-force efficiency as selection metrics. The methodology showed good agreement with reference configurations Finite Element Method (FEM) based within the considered benchmark scenario. Results show that the MI-based forecasts agree with the designs iteratively estimated using Finite Element Method (FEM), while the cold-formed solutions are heavier than the HS reference. The framework thus supports early-stage decisions considering the required component performance, providing rapid, physics-based mass forecasting to guide material down-selection. Also, the approach has the potential to be used for cost modelling and life-cycle assessment for crash-loaded automotive beams.