The results of several engineering reports demonstrate the superiority of auto suspensions, closures and doors made from steel built with advanced manufacturing techniques.
Studies performed by Stuttgart-based Porsche Engineering Services show that steel auto closures weigh 10% less than standard closures, without compromising safety, and that structural performance is maintained at no added cost.
The studies also found that stamped steel outer-door panels exceed the structural performance of today’s benchmarked steel door structures. Stamped steel doors were also found to weigh between 22% and 42% less than benchmarked versions.
Meanwhile, a special consortium on ultra-light steel auto suspensions has published the results of a 2-year study, which concluded that mass reductions of up to 34% can be achieved with four steel-intensive designs, compared with a range of benchmarked steel suspensions. The study included another steel design that incurs 30% less costs than a current aluminum design.
In terms of performance, all five designs meet or exceed a range of criteria, including ride, handling, NVH (noise vibration and harshness) and manufacturabilty.
The study was sponsored by 34 of the world’s steel companies and conducted by Norfolk, U.K.-based Lotus Engineering Services.
— The preceding is an excerpt from Worldsteel: Forum for the Steel Industry, an information bulletin published by the Brussels-based International Iron and Steel Institute.
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