Alumobility Project Reveals Converting Steel Intensive Mixed Material Production BIW to Aluminum Intensive BIW Reduces Complexity

Alumobility, the global association committed to advancing the adoption of
aluminum by automakers, will present findings of a recent study at the
Automotive Circle Car Body Xperience in Rochester, Michigan on April 26. The
project focused on converting all the steel parts on a mixed material
production body-in-white (BIW) to a full aluminum BIW, which resulted in a
40% weight savings for the sum of the converted parts while also maintaining
or improving the specified BIW attributes for safety, noise, vibration, and
harshness (NVH).

The project further revealed that, when compared to steel intensive mixed
material BIW, aluminum intensive BIW offered complexity reduction
opportunities and reduced the total number of parts and joints while also
lowering the gauge and grade combinations.

The project was done in conjunction with a leading global automaker, using
one of its latest mixed material production battery electric vehicles (BEV)
BIW structures. The BIW is the car body’s main structure at a stage in
manufacturing in which it has been joined together before painting and
before the motor, chassis sub-assemblies, or interior & exterior trim, have
been integrated into the structure.

“This conference is an ideal venue to present our latest project’s findings.
This is the audience we need to understand that shifting from steel to
aluminum-intensive BIW delivers 40% weight savings for the same attribute
performance, while reducing the total number of parts and joints. Our goal
is to inform the automotive industry on the benefits of aluminum, and this
conference helps us engage with OEMs, which is key to achieving our
mission,” said Professor Mark White, Technical Director of Alumobility, who
will present the project findings to an audience of automotive engineers,
designers and manufacturers at Car Body Xperience.

The overall topics planned by the Automotive Circle Car Body Xperience
include:
.       How are different OEMs and their suppliers addressing these
challenges individually?
.       Which solutions have been developed and implemented so far?
.       What are the best strategies and concepts for cost, time and
resource efficiency?
.       In other words, how can car body engineering provide the best
solutions for the challenges ahead?

About Alumobility
Alumobility is a global ecosystem of leading aluminum and downstream
technology partners that supports automotive manufacturers in creating
lighter, safer, smarter and more sustainable vehicles. The non-profit
association was founded to focus on technical studies to advance the
adoption of aluminum automotive body sheet (ABS). Working with global
automakers, Alumobility is helping to fulfill the promise of a lighter, more
efficient, more sustainable mobility future.