Hitachi Metals to Develop Composite Material for
Auto Market
TOKYO — Hitachi Metals aims to create a new aluminum-carbon composite for automobiles that is 60% lighter than steel and less expensive than typical carbon fiber composites.
The Japanese company will begin the effort at a new R&D facility to be launched next spring. It hopes to have a practical version of the material ready in 2025 for use in suspensions and other structural parts of a car.
Because the new aluminum-carbon composite can be made on existing machinery, it can be mass produced more cheaply than other carbon fiber-based composites …
Hitachi Metals will promote the new material as an intermediate choice in terms of strength and cost between aluminum and carbon fiber composites.
The company anticipates growing demand for lightweight automotive materials as fuel efficiency regulations stiffen. Widespread use of self-driving vehicles is also expected to boost the demand, since equipment to realize autonomous driving adds to the vehicle weight.
source: Nikkei Asian Review
