Automotive Steels

Automotive Steels: Design, Metallurgy, Processing and Applications explores the design, processing, metallurgy, and applications of automotive steels. While some sheet steels are produced routinely in high volume today, there have been significant advances in the use of steel in the automotive industry. This book presents these metallurgical and application aspects in a way that is not available in the current literature. The editors have assembled an international team of experts who discuss recent developments and future prospects for automotive steels, compiling essential reading for both academic and industrial metallurgists, automotive design engineers, and postgraduate students attending courses on the metallurgy of automotive materials. Presents recent developments on the design, metallurgy, processing, and applications of automotive steels Discusses automotive steels that are currently in the early stages of research, such as low-density and high modulus steels that are driving future development Covers traditional steels, advanced high strength steels, elevated Mn steels and ferrous composite materials

Examines the types, microstructures and attributes of AHSSAlso reviews the current and future applications, the benefits, trends and environmental and sustainability issues.

Advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) are a family of steels that are stronger than most steels and have better formability than today’s conventional high-strength steels. New U.S. safety and fuel economy regulations have intensified pressure on OEMs to reduce vehicle weight. These pressures are causing auto companies to rethink alternative material applications and to look for opportunities that steel offers. The purpose of this book is to provide information for engineers who are designing the next generation of lighter vehicles. The material in the book is presented to help them make informed decisions on what basic materials to use and how to optimize those materials to achieve cost-effective weight reduction. The emphasis is on steels in general and AHSS in particular. However, there is much information on comparisons of steel with alternative materials for different subsystems of the vehicle. To support the latest automotive challenges in terms of weight reduction, this book lays out the opportunities for alternative material use in automobiles and offers the most up-to-date design guidance in efficient architectures that use AHSS. It simultaneously explores weight savings and resulting fuel economy advantages of a strategic usage of AHSS. Realistic comparisons with other alternative materials are made through detailed analyses. It also offers test cases that demonstrate how AHSS technology has developed. The focus of the text is on body and chassis structures and the sheet metal of which these systems are primarily made. More of the content addresses the automotive body, as this is where most of the AHSS are being applied today. The past, present, and future of AHSS are covered, as well as competing technologies such as aluminum sheet metal.

Advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) are a family of steels that are stronger than most steels and have better formability than today’s conventional high-strength steels. New U.S. safety and fuel economy regulations have intensified pressure on OEMs to reduce vehicle weight. These pressures are causing auto companies to rethink alternative material applications and to look for opportunities that steel offers. The purpose of this book is to provide information for engineers who are designing the next generation of lighter vehicles. The material in the book is presented to help them make informed decisions on what basic materials to use and how to optimize those materials to achieve cost-effective weight reduction. The emphasis is on steels in general and AHSS in particular. However, there is much information on comparisons of steel with alternative materials for different subsystems of the vehicle. To support the latest automotive challenges in terms of weight reduction, this book lays out the opportunities for alternative material use in automobiles and offers the most up-to-date design guidance in efficient architectures that use AHSS. It simultaneously explores weight savings and resulting fuel economy advantages of a strategic usage of AHSS. Realistic comparisons with other alternative materials are made through detailed analyses. It also offers test cases that demonstrate how AHSS technology has developed. The focus of the text is on body and chassis structures and the sheet metal of which these systems are primarily made. More of the content addresses the automotive body, as this is where most of the AHSS are being applied today. The past, present, and future of AHSS are covered, as well as competing technologies such as aluminum sheet metal.

Welding and Joining of Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS): The Automotive Industry discusses the ways advanced high strength steels (AHSS) are key to weight reduction in sectors such as automotive engineering. It includes a discussion on how welding can alter the microstructure in the heat affected zone, producing either excessive hardening or softening, and how these local changes create potential weaknesses that can lead to failure. This text reviews the range of welding and other joining technologies for AHSS and how they can be best used to maximize the potential of AHSS. Reviews the properties and manufacturing techniques of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) Examines welding processes, performance, and fatigue in AHSS Focuses on AHSS welding and joining within the automotive industry

In the last few years the automobile design process is required to become more responsible and responsibly related to environmental needs. Basing the automotive design not only on the appearance, the visual appearance of the vehicle needs to be thought together and deeply integrated with the power developed by the engine. The purpose of this book is to try to present the new technologies development scenario, and not to give any indication about the direction that should be given to the research in this complex and multi-disciplinary challenging field.

Steels: Metallurgy and Applications deals with the metallurgy and applications of steel and covers the broad spectrum of the mainstream commercial grades as well as the service or manufacturing requirements that govern their use. Standard specifications and some of the design considerations that provide satisfactory service performance are considered. Brief reference is also made to some of the steel prices that were effective on January 1, 1991. Comprised of five chapters, this book begins with an overview of technological trends in the steelmaking industry since 1980s, paying particular attention to energy conservation, iron-making, continuous casting, and product requirements. The next chapter is devoted to low-carbon strip steels and their cold-forming behavior, applications, and metallurgical factors affecting cold formability. The third chapter focuses on low-carbon structural steels and their strengthening mechanisms, while the fourth chapter considers engineering steels and their heat treatment aspects. The final chapter describes stainless steels and their composition-structure relationships, commercial grades, corrosion resistance, welding, and cold working. The mechanical properties of stainless steels at elevated and sub-zero temperatures are also examined. This monograph will be of interest to students and practicing metallurgists.

Research into the manufacture of lightweight automobiles is driven by the need to reduce fuel consumption to preserve dwindling hydrocarbon resources without compromising other attributes such as safety, performance, recyclability and cost. Materials, design and manufacturing for lightweight vehicles will make it easier for engineers to not only learn about the materials being considered for lightweight automobiles, but also to compare their characteristics and properties. Part one discusses materials for lightweight automotive structures with chapters on advanced steels for lightweight automotive structures, aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys for lightweight powertrains and automotive structures, thermoplastics and thermoplastic matrix composites and thermoset matrix composites for lightweight automotive structures. Part two reviews manufacturing and design of lightweight automotive structures covering topics such as manufacturing processes for light alloys, joining for lightweight vehicles, recycling and lifecycle issues and crashworthiness design for lightweight vehicles. With its distinguished editor and renowned team of contributors, Materials, design and manufacturing for lightweight vehicles is a standard reference for practicing engineers involved in the design and material selection for motor vehicle bodies and components as well as material scientists, environmental scientists, policy makers, car companies and automotive component manufacturers. Provides a comprehensive analysis of the materials being used for the manufacture of lightweight vehicles whilst comparing characteristics and properties Examines crashworthiness design issues for lightweight vehicles and further emphasises the development of lightweight vehicles without compromising safety considerations and performance Explores the manufacturing process for light alloys including metal forming processes for automotive applications