Magna International Inc. — in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and partners Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) US and Grupo Antolin — developed a new, ultralight door architecture that achieves 42.5% mass savings compared to an average current production door. The door-in-white assembly makes extensive use of aluminum, which achieves approximately half of the total […]
Joining aluminum and carbon fiber composites for lightweight cars and other multi-material high-end products could become less expensive and the joints more robust because of a new method that harnesses a laser’s power and precision. The process, developed by a team led by Adrian Sabau of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), […]
APWorks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus Group, has worked at the forefront of additive layer manufacturing (ALM) and advanced materials since its launch in 2013. The company produces bionically optimized metal parts for a wide range of industries, from aerospace to automotive and robotics. APWorks has now introduced the world’s first 3D-printed motorcycle, made […]
Commercial truck fleets looking to increase fuel efficiency, haul more freight and retain more drivers can look to lightweighting as a key enabler, according to a Confidence Report on Lightweighting by Trucking Efficiency. The report found that investing in lightweighting is an attractive and economical alternative to adding expensive new equipment — potentially saving fleets nearly […]
Leading figures from the British automotive industry will discuss the growing demand for aluminum at the Aluminium in Road Transport Conference to be held November 11-12 at the Thinktank Science Museum in Birmingham, U.K. Organized by ALFED (the Aluminium Federation), the event will feature an evening banquet and a tour of the Jaguar Land Rover […]
The 3rd Annual Global Automotive Lightweight Materials Detroit (GALM) congress will be held on August 20-21 in Detroit, Michigan. As OEMs seek to develop vehicle lightweighting strategies that will allow them to cost-effectively meet fuel economy targets, they are increasingly shifting their focus to incorporating mixed-material solutions at mass produced scales. The highly anticipated Ford […]
