MATERIAL MATTERS
Teijin Expanding Lightweighting Reach
Japanese company Teijin Limited is acquiring Benet Automotive s.r.o., a leading automotive composite and component supplier in the Czech Republic, from Jet Investment for undisclosed terms. Benet, headquartered in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, is a Tier One supplier of composite components to the automotive industry, offering advanced technologies for carbon fiber reinforced and glass fiber […]
Porsche Uses Natural Fibers for Lightweighting
Statistics show that new cars are becoming heavier, due, in part, to improved safety functions and more electronic equipment. Weight is an important factor for e-cars, since they require larger, heavier batteries to maximize range Therefore, new developments in lightweight design are a prerequisite for truly efficient e-cars. Researchers at Fraunhofer WKI asked whether fibrous […]
Lightweighting Fuels Chemical & Materials Market Growth
Automotive lightweighting will boost the global chemicals and materials in the infrastructure and mobility applications sector, business-consulting firm Frost & Sullivan predicts. Other key factors pushing the market will be 3-D printing, digital transformation, circular economy and CO2 as feedstock. Frost & Sullivan expects market growth to be propelled by rapid economic and infrastructure development […]
Observations on Lightweighting at Great Designs in Steel
As a lightweighting consultant in automotive, defense and commercial trucking, I follow the information flow. A great place to do that is at the annual Great Designs in Steel (GDIS). Its focus is on steel and the innovations in material development, processing, applications and vehicle performance. This mid-May event is well-organized and extremely well attended. […]
Reinforcing the Trends in Lightweighting
Adding NVH and crash performance The challenges in vehicle design and assembly are getting bigger. Lightweight construction, increasing requirements for crash safety, cost pressures, design of derivative car models on the same platform, material flexibility and shortened development times are aspects that are often difficult to reconcile. Added to the equation, efforts to reduce mass […]
New High-Performance Aluminum Extrusion Alloys
Two alloy families generating interest due to unique performance properties. Automakers have relied on aluminum since the industry began. In 1899, a sports car with an aluminum body was introduced at the Berlin International Motor Show. In 1901, Carl Benz designed the first engine with aluminum parts. But it took the metal’s cost to drop […]
Considering Component Lightweighting Solutions for Automotive Applications
Smoggy cities, roller-coaster gas prices, environmental concerns over fracing and offshore drilling—there are many reasons to increase fuel efficiency in both passenger and commercial vehicles. One of the best ways to do this is by reducing vehicle weight. Lighter cars mean consumers use less fuel, and less fuel means cleaner air and reduced dependence on […]
Next-Generation Glass Fiber Composite
ENOLIT GOR, a leader in the automotive extrusion and thermoforming market, has seen demand for its innovative RENOLIT TECNOGOR take off as the next-generation, safe, clean, 100-percent recyclable glass fiber composite for automotive interior applications. Tier 1 thermoformers combine superior part performance with consistent quality, higher productivity and lower costs of the production process, which […]
Lightweighting Pushes AHSS Market
A study published by Fact.MR takes a look at the advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) market. They expect applications for AHSS to rise in automobiles. The role of advanced high-strength steel will become crucial in enhancing fuel economy, crash safety and engine performance, making it a practical investment in the automotive sector. The demand for advanced […]
New Super Magnesium Alloy
ALLITE® Inc., a full-service material sciences organization that develops and manufactures high-performance metal alloys, has added something notable to its product line— ALLITE Super Magnesium™ WE54. Designed for superior castability, it is 25-percent stronger than the traditional high-performance cast magnesium AZ91. Due to the alloy’s performance under extreme temperatures, ALLITE Super Magnesium WE54 will primarily […]
