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Automotive Lightweight Materials Forecast Trends and various studies on lightweight design indicate a tendency toward a greater mix of materials. Table below shows the projected change in vehicle content of various materials. These new materials will be added at the expense of mild strength steels. Steel will continue to be a factor as new advanced and ultra-high-strength steels allow automakers to reduce the thickness (and weight) of components while maintaining the required level of strength. Aluminium, magnesium, and composites also appear poised to gain a stronger footing in the market as fuel economy legislation pushes automakers to consider more aggressive weight reduction strategies. Table1 : Increase in Material Content from 2009 to 2020 Material Change in Vehicle Content by 2020(lbs. increase) Advanced and Ultra High Strength Steel 350 Aluminium 31 to 70 Magnesium 24 10 (130 to 350 possible) Plastics and composites 25 Source - Schultz, R. et al (2009), Metallic Material Trends for North American Light Vehicle Transportation Research has performed a study for the Lightweight Materials Program within DOE's Office of Transportation Materials to evaluate the suitability of wrought Mg and its alloys to replace steel/aluminium for automotive structural and sheet applications. Mg sheet could be used in body non structural and semi-structural applications, while extrusions could be used in such structural applications as space frames. This study identifies high cost as the major barrier to greatly increased Mg use in autos. Two technical R&D areas, novel reduction technology and better hot-forming technology, could enable major cost reductions. Current usage Magnesium in car With the necessary technological advances in alloy performance being made in the mid 1980's and the continuous drive to minimise weight and fuel consumption, today, there is an exciting synergy between what the automotive industry is Some of Potential projects on LW Materials Ÿ Replace steel with Aluminium Ÿ Replace Al with Mg in Chassis and Power train components. Typical components in suspension systems, Engine block, oil pan, front engine covers, transmission casings. Other applications of Magnesium include instrument panels, intake manifolds, cylinder head covers, inner boot lid sections and steering components. Ÿ C- fibre reinforced polymer matrix composites demanding and what the magnesium industry has to offer. Further growth is forecast over the next 10 years. In Europe, Ÿ Promote use of AHSS with hot press quenching the increase in using magnesium as a structural lightweight Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Tailor welded blanks with HSS Joining of LW materials Crash energy management for adhesively bonded composite structures Weight reduction with Magnesium Vehicle weight reduction is one of the major means available to improve automotive fuel efficiency. High-strength steels, aluminium (Al), and polymers are already being used to reduce weight significantly, but substantial additional reductions could be achieved by greater use of Low density magnesium (Mg) and its alloys. Mg alloys are currently used in relatively small quantities for auto parts, generally limited to die castings (e.g., housings). Argonne National Laboratory's Centre for material is being led by the Volkswagen <strong>Group</strong> of companies, with the material also being used by other leading manufacturers including Daimler Chrysler (Mercedes Benz), BMW, Ford and Jaguar. Presently, around 14kgs of magnesium are used in the VW Passat, Audi A4 & A6. All those vehicles use magnesium transmission casings cast in AZ91D, offering a 20%-25% weight saving over aluminium. Other applications include instrument panels, intake manifolds, cylinder head covers, inner boot lid sections and steering components which utilise the more ductile AM50A & AM60B alloys. In North America, the use of magnesium for auto applications is more advanced. The GM full sized Savana & Express vans use up to 26kg of magnesium alloy. www.arkeycell.com 2
Current usage of Aluminium in car than 50% less than a standard steel version. The carbon Today's car contain 140 Kg OF ALUMINIUM bonnet is a sandwich construction comprising a foam core material between two layers of carbon fibre reinforced The Audi A8L, the Jaguar XJ and the Range Rover are well plastic and was developed as part of the High-tech NRW known for their high aluminium content, exceeding 500 kg, but research project. all cars actually contain significant amounts of aluminium . 5. Automotive supplier Faurecia signed a framework A study published by Ducker worldwide in cooperation with the agreement with German research institute Fraunhofer European aluminium association shows that the amount of ICT concerning the joint R&D of industrial processes for aluminium used per car produced in Europe almost tripled composites for automotive applications . between 1990 and 2012, increasing from 50 kg to140 kg. This 6. Carbon fibre manufacturer Teijin announced the start up amount is predicted to rise to 160 kg by 2020, and even reach of its pilot plant in Japan for carbon fibre thermoplastic as much as 180 kg if small and medium cars follow the automotive parts. This uses Teijin's proprietary evolution recorded in the upper segments of the automobile manufacturing technology which is reported to reduce industry. cycle times required for moulding composite parts to less The study is based on a detailed analysis of car models than 1 minute. In December 2011, Teijn and General representing a European production volume of 17 million units Motors (GM) announced plans to co-develop carbon fibre in 2012. The distribution of the140 kg on various parts can be composite technologies for potential use in high-volume seen. GM vehicles. Source - European Aluminum Association Carbon composites and cars – technology watch 2012 2012 saw numerous developments and collaborations in the automotive composites sector. Some of them are : 1. I Ford and Dow Automotive Systems signed a joint development agreement to research the use of carbon fibre composites in high-volume vehicles. Cutting the weight of new cars by up to 750 lbs by the end of the Automotive high strength steels Steel, and in particular AHSS, best addresses the need for reduced GHG emissions without compromising safety and afford ability and not the low-density materials, like aluminium, magnesium and plastics. Collective findings of the research organized by world auto steel show that replacing former conventional steel designs with optimized advanced high-strength steel designs will, on average, gain: decade is key to Ford's strategy to improve fuel efficiency. • 21 to 25% reduction in body-in-white weight, A couple of months later Dow announced plans to form a • 9% reduction in vehicle weight, joint venture with Turkish company AKSA to manufacture • 5.1% reduced fuel consumption, carbon fibre. • 5.7% reduced life cycle GHG emissions (CO2 equivalent) 2. Benteler-SGL & Co KG, a joint venture between and, automotive supplier Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH • Little or no increase in manufacturing costs. and carbon fibre manufacturer SGL <strong>Group</strong>, announced an investment of €36 million in a new plant in Austria to If optimised advanced high-strength steel body-in-white manufacture automotive components made of carbon applications are replaced with aluminium applications, the composites. The plant will start series production in mid replacement will, on average, gain: 2013. • Only an 11% further reduction in body-in-white weight,3% 3. Showing that glass fibre is still very much in the mix, in July further reduction in vehicle weight, SABIC Innovative Plastics announced that it was "Significantly Boosting" capacity for its STAMAX long • 1.8% further reduction of fuel consumption, glass fibre reinforced polypropylene composite to meet • 2.6% increased life cycle GHG emissions (CO2 equivalent) growing demand from automotive customers. The new and 65% increased production costs for body-in white. production line is scheduled to start up in the second half of 2013. STAMAX is used in front-end modules, door modules, and seating and tailgate structures. 4. Ford announced it had developed a prototype carbon fibre composite bonnet for the Ford Focus which weighs more www.arkeycell.com 3
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LWT - Arkey Group

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