Weight reduction, and consequent energy economy, lower environmental pollution and

sustainability are powerful drivers for innovation in the automobile and all
transportation sectors. In car engineering the CHAPTER
traditional2. material
low carbon steel
16
STATE OF THE ART: ENGINEERING
has given place to a situation where a variety of metals and non-metals are used. Steel is
still the major choice, but the variety of steels now used is huge, as shown by an
example of a mass production low cost vehicle in Figure 4, McLean, 2012, where
(high-strength
low-alloy
applications
for mild
steel, bake
hardenable
steel,
HSLA
(high-strength
low-alloy
steel),
dual-phase
andHSLA
multi-phase,
and press
hardenedsteel),
steel
dual-phase
and
multi-phase,
and
press
hardened
steel
are
highlighted.
are highlighted.

Figure 4 Body steel selection for GM Chevrolet Sonic, source: McLean, 2013, onFigure 2.4: Body steel selection for GM Chevrolet Sonic, [12].
line: www.autosteel.org
Being light materials, Aluminum and Magnesium have always been of interest in autoBeingengineering,
light materials,
Aluminum
and Magnesium
have always been of interest in
mobile
and this
trend is reinforced
now.
automobile engineering, and this trend is reinforced now.
Another focus of interest is the use of a variety of polymer matrix composites. A 1997
reference
Reinforced
Plastics,
[38],
that high-speed
manufacturing
techniques
for
Anotherinfocus
of interest
is the
usestated
of a variety
of polymer
matrix composites.
A 1997
referencecomposites
(Reinforced
Plastics,
1997,forp.6)
stated
thatproduction.
high-speed This
manufacturing
structural
were
not fastJune
enough
large
volume
drawback
techniques
for
structural
composites
were
not
fast
enough
for
large
volume
production.
may have improved with increasing automation and enhanced production technologies, but
This drawback may have improved with increasing automation and enhanced
certainly still is a problem. Frequently the widespread use of such materials is hindered by
production technologies, but certainly still is a problem.
the
material cost,
or by the increased
costs materials
of production
of parts,by
and
is the reason
Frequently
the widespread
use of such
is hindered
thethat
material
cost, orwhy
by
increased
costs
of production
of parts,
theofreason
it is usuallychoices
in the
it the
is usually
in the
high
end of exclusive
carsand
thatthat
theisuse
these why
non-traditional
high
end of isexclusive
carsThe
that
the A8
usehas
of an
these
non-traditional
choiceswhereas
and solutions
is
and
solutions
first found.
Audi
all Aluminum
bodywork,
the Lotus
first found. The AUDI A8 has an all Aluminum bodywork, whereas the Lotus Elise has
Elise has a fibreglass body shell supported by a chassis composed of Aluminum extrusions;
a fibreglass body shell supported by a chassis composed of Aluminum extrusions;
carbon
structures
areare
found
in the
McLaren
MP4-12C
and other
exoticexotic
very high
carbonfibre
fibre
structures
found
in the
McLaren
MP4-12C
and other
veryspeed
high
speed
very
costvehicles.
niche vehicles.
Reductions
in materials
andfaster
easier,
faster
and
veryand
high
costhigh
niche
Reductions
in materials
costs andcosts
easier,
and
less
and less
costly processing
technologies
willlead
certainly
the more widespread
of
costly
processing
technologies
will certainly
to the lead
moretowidespread
use of theseuse
light
these light alloys and composites in more common vehicles.
alloys and composites in more common vehicles.
The following Table 2.1, [20], highlights a few relevant properties of selected materials.
The use of Al extrusions has an economical aspect that is worth mentioning: extrusion dies
are far less expensive than stamping dies or casting moulds, [20]. Table 2.1 who also points out
that properties as well as costs of chopped fiber FRPs vary significantly depending on volume
percentage and distribution of the glass fibers and the FRP manufacturing process, with flat
sheet molding compound (SMC) sheet competing directly with Al alloy sheet, pultruded
FRPs with Al alloy extrusions, and shapes produced from bulk molding compound (BMC)
competing with aluminum alloy castings.
A comparison can be made between Al Alloys and chopped fiber FRPs, (SMC), in a matrix
Table 2.2 - where the performance of each type of material in several important criteria is