By Andrew Halonen, Mayflower Consulting, LLC. Vehicle construction has always been a multi-material story. Instrument panels are comprised of plastic, foam, and metal, while seats are made from leather or fabric covering foam on a steel structure. Looking under the hood, the engine block is often made of cast iron with cylinder heads made of […]
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed and successfully tested a novel process — called friction stir dovetailing — that joins thick plates of aluminum to steel. The new process will be used to make lighter-weight military vehicles that are more agile and fuel efficient. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the […]
Following the introduction of the aluminum-bodied Ford F-150, GM announced that it plans to introduce a largely aluminum-bodied truck by 2018, reports the Wallstreet Journal (WSJ). “The push to develop what the industry calls an ‘aluminum intensive’ large pickup marks an apparent change of direction for GM, which has pursued smaller and lighter weight steel-bodied […]
