Future offensive: iron VS aluminum VS carbon fiber

2016-10-28

"Japanese economic news" reported that on October 17, ford's best-selling "F - 150 pickup" comprehensive use aluminum body. A more than 300 kg reduction in weight, fuel economy, sales are good. In multiple parts adopt aluminum alloy material of the same tesla cheap models "Model 3", also received more than 300000 vehicles in listing 1 weeks of order.

Kobe steel chairman by President kawasaki bo also said, "auto lightweight trend was unable to stop. Only one-third of iron, the weight of the aluminum in intensity, the weight of the aluminum is about 50% lighter than iron. Although kobe steel main steel business, the set up of 100 billion yen for lightweight strategic investment in more than half to the aluminum material.

Japan's largest aluminium company UACJ Nagoya factory decided to transform the aluminum cans production line for auto parts production line, and set up the new finishing line. The factory director taguchi orthometric said that by 2020 the Japanese domestic aluminum market scale will reach 2 ~ 4 times now. UACJ bought in May production tesla and ford car aluminum frame manufacturers in the United States, aim at this opportunity is a massive investment.

On June 24th, lived in Nippon steel king's shareholder meeting, shareholders' concern ground ask: "iron business?" This is because the auto industry to use new material represented by aluminum trend is expanding. Japan iron and steel enterprises and automobile industry after years of effort, to realize the both the strength and workability practical application of a new generation of steel plate. But environmental regulations become stricter speed quickly. American rules by 2025, auto fuel efficiency than in 2016 increased by 50%. By improving engine alone is difficult to achieve.

Carbon fiber production process technology are lacking

Auto materials is not limited to iron and aluminum. In June 2016, Toyota's plug-in hybrid car "prius PHV" made its debut in Japan. Body back door USES the strength is greater than iron carbon fiber reinforced plastics, weight lighter than aluminium. Although Japan toray teijin and other enterprises occupy the global market share more than half of the carbon fibre, but the reality is still very grim. Because Japan is to the body of the carbon fiber material and parts production and processing technology such as bumper is still very backward. The German BMW has "i3" small pure electric car in car body using the carbon fiber material, volume production of "carbon car" is implemented.

Mitsui thinks, so it will make in Japan can only supply disadvantage of carbon fiber material, have already move quickly. Mitsui RTM equipment imported from Germany (resin in carbon fiber material and heated to set a fixed device), and to the innovation of kanazawa university composite materials research and development center (ICC) and 30 companies for joint research. The equipment is started in April 2016. At Honda, director of the institute of Ti ohsawa jie, mitsui, toray, parts material enterprises and equipment such as technical staff are working together to research and development.

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