Over the decades, the automotive industry has come a long way. From maximum speeds and high-tech interiors to sustainable fuel alternatives. In this article, we’re going to be focusing on the materials that drive the industry.
The materials we use in the making and manufacturing of vehicles not only impact how they might look or their aesthetic, but also the safety and fuel consumption. The industry is constantly under pressure to meet higher fuel and environmental standards, whilst improving on performance and keeping prices competitive. So, how do automotive materials fit into this? Let’s find out.
The Most Common Automotive Materials
When you take into account every element of a car, the tires, the body, the steering wheel, the dashboard, and so on, you begin to realise just how many materials go into the making of a car. The main materials which are used for manufacturing cars and their components are:
- Steel: mostly used on the framework to provide strength and the ability to absorb impact
- Aluminium: used for its lightweight, durability and malleable qualities
- Plastics: they constitute around half of the total car parts, chosen due to being lightweight, versatile and durable
- Glass: used for navigation screens, mirrors and camera lenses, glass lamination is used for the highest safety standards
- Titanium: used in more premium cases to replace Steel and Aluminium, for aesthetic purposes
- Magnesium: used in the body, structure and some engine parts, due to being so lightweight, it’s used sparingly so as not to throw off the balance of the vehicle
- Copper: mostly used in the wiring and other electrical parts
There are certain factors to keep in mind during material selection. Car manufacturers and automotive engineers need materials that have heat resistance, chemical and mechanical shocks, malleability and durability, as well affordability.
Smart Materials in Automotive Industry
Smart materials have the capability to change their shape, positioning, flexibility, fluid flow rate and much more. They can respond quickly to changes in temperature, electric field and magnetic field. Some current smart materials being used within the automotive sector include:
- Piezoelectric ceramics
- Shape memory alloys
- Magnetostrictive materials
- Optical fibres
- Magnetorheological fluids
- Electrorheological fluids
- Conducting polymers
- Nanomaterials (read more here)
As the development of smart materials continues to improve, the more promise we can see for them within the industry. A good case study for smart materials in the automotive industry is General Motors. The company developed a shape memory alloy-activated louver system that controls airflow into engines, as well as conducting polymer sensors in smart seats, and magnetorheological fluids developed for semi-active suspension systems to improve glide and handling.
Smart or advanced materials are also crucial to the necessity of lightweighting in the industry.It’s calculated that if there was to be a 10% reduction in vehicle weight, it would lead to 5-7% of fuel-saving. This means that for every kilogram of weight reduction in vehicles, there is the chance to decrease carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere by 20kg.
For more information on the materials used in the automotive industry, please get in touch with a member of the Goodfellow technical team today.
Alternatively, you can view our product catalogue here.
