BEMIDJI, Minn. – Dr. Vince Vohnout, assistant professor of geography at Bemidji State University, will present an Honors Council Lecture entitled “Improved Formability by Control of Strain Distribution in Sheet Stamping Using Electromagnetic Impulse Energy,” on Thursday, February 14. The lecture, which is free to the public, will be held at 7 p.m. in Hagg-Sauer 112 on the BSU campus.

Dr. Vohnout’s lecture will focus on a recently developed and demonstrated method for more directly controlling the distribution of forming energy in a sheet-metal stamping operation. Based on an extension of electromagnetic impulse forming, these impulses can be implemented as a single high-power pulse or as a series of lower-energy pulses occurring several times during the press-forming stroke.

By proper integration of the impulse generating circuit with the forming press and tooling, this stamping method should be capable of the same production rates as its conventional counterpart while helping reduce the two most-common sources of sheet metal stamping failures – tearing and wrinkling.

Vohnout’s lecture will focus on the basic design approach, including press integration, of the multiple-pulse technique along with some initial forming results. Comparisons to other augmented stamping processes as well as conventional stamping will be presented with metrics of draw depth and limit strain distribution.

Dr. Vohnout joined the Bemidji State faculty in 2006 as an associate professor in the Department of Technological Studies. He holds a Ph.D. in industrial engineering, a master’s in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University and earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Cleveland State University.

Before entering academia, he co-founded Adaptive Machine Technologies (AMT), an engineering research and development company in Columbus, Ohio. He served as the president of AMT for nine years before returning to his studies at Ohio State. Dr. Vohnout continues in his private consulting and research practice.

For more information on the lecture, contact the Honors Program office at (218) 755-3984.

2008 Honors Lecture Series

• Feb. 14: “Improved Formability by Control of Strain Distribution in Sheet Stamping Using Electromagnetic Impulse Energy”
• Vince Vohnout: Hagg- Sauer 112
• Feb. 26: “Rural Women and Obesity: How Built Environments Influence Physical Activity;” Jeanine Gangeness; Hagg-Sauer 112
• Mar. 19: “What Knowledge Is of the Most Worth?” Dr. Charles Alberti; Education Arts 115
• April 2: “The Jeanette Smith Case: Defending Battered Women at Trial; ” Janet Prater; Hagg-Sauer 112
• April 15: “Where Do Poems Come From?” Susan Hauser & Maureen Gibbon; Hagg-Sauer 112
• April 24: “The Mental Maps and Mindscapes of the American Midwest;” Mike Garrett; Hagg-Sauer 112
• all lectures begin at 7:00 p.m.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Feb. 14 – 7:00 p.m. – Bemidji State University Honors Lecture: Dr. Vince Vohnout, “Improved Formability by Control of Strain Distribution in Sheet Stamping Using Electromagnetic Impulse Energy.” Location: Hagg-Sauer 112, BSU. Admission: free.