Metallic materials (sheet steel, wrought steels, cast iron and aluminium alloys) are still the predominant materials in the manufacture of mass-produced cars. They represent from 70 to 75 % of the weight of the vehicle. This includes about 40 % sheet steels, 15 % wrought steels, 12 % cast iron and 6 % aluminium. Although they have been to some extent replaced during the last few years, it is not foreseen that this will continue. Polymeric materials represent between 10 and 15 % of vehicle weight. Their advantages (freedom from corrosion, styling freedom, low tooling costs) are well known but their drawbacks are also significant (different surface aspect from sheet steel requiring different paint processes, poor temperature stability, inferior dimensional stability, low modulus). While they have taken over completely inside the vehicle, their use in exterior or structural application remains limited. Ceramic materials are not used in any current mass-produced cars (except in the form of water pump bearings, in sparking plugs and for the monolithic supports in catalytic converters). However, certain trends are emerging which are described in this article, in which we consider first and foremost the existing relationship between materials and the vehicle, going on to look at the competition between materials, a process of continuous evolution and a scenario of sudden change.


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    Title :

    Which materials for which car?


    Additional title:

    Welche Werkstoffe für welches Auto?


    Contributors:
    Maeder, G. (author)


    Publication date :

    1994


    Size :

    8 Seiten, 2 Bilder



    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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