At present, most of the optimization design ideas are to reduce the weight of the body without reducing the performance of the body, and to find a better load transmission path under a given situation, so as to design a better body structure; at the same time, a large number of new materials The new technology also helps to reduce the weight of the car body, so let's learn about the advantages and disadvantages of common lightweight materials!

Why 1. should promote lightweight materials:

1.1 based on environmental considerations

Countries around the world are pushing policies to reduce vehicle fuel consumption to automakers. Some research data show that the weight of the whole car is reduced by 10%, the fuel consumption is increased by 6%-8%. For every 100kg reduction in the overall weight of the car, the fuel consumption is reduced by 0.3-0.6 litres at 100kg, and the CO2 emission is reduced by about 5 g/km. It can be seen that the lightweight of automobiles is closely related to the improvement of fuel economy, the reduction of fuel economy, and even environmental protection and energy saving. Therefore, automobile lightweight has become the consensus of automobile enterprises.

1.2 is pressing on the transformation of automobile manufacturing technology

If driving safety cannot be ensured, no matter how light and fuel-efficient the car is, no one dares to drive. If you pursue absolute safety and collision resistance, you can only drive a few dozen tons of tanks and withstand hundreds of liters of fuel per hour. Therefore, lightweight is the trend of automobile manufacturing, and the current lightweight is mainly to reduce the weight of the car. Although the car body as the main carrier of the car, it needs to ensure sufficient rigidity, strength and fatigue durability, so that the vehicle has good safety, vibration noise and durability, but lightweight puts forward higher requirements for these factors. The transformation of automobile manufacturing technology has brought great stimulation.

2. basic principles of automotive lightweight materials:

2.1 ensure sufficient rigidity

Rigidity refers to the ability of the material to deform under external forces, and usually refers to the elastic characteristics of the material before the body is developed. Good stiffness is the basis of vehicle NVH performance, vehicle dynamic performance and fatigue durability. The common evaluation index is the torsional stiffness of the vehicle body. Rigidity is related to the modulus of elasticity of the material. Basically, the type of material determines the elastic modulus. For example, even if high-strength steel is used, the rigidity of the vehicle body is not improved. Because the elastic modulus of steel is the same.

2.2 ensure sufficient strength.

Strength refers to the ability of a part to maintain its function after being subjected to an impact load, and is often used in the evaluation of body collision safety, impact resistance and other properties. Strength is related to the yield strength and fracture strength of the material. In order to improve the safety performance of the car, high-strength steel is used in modern body design, which is the reason.

2.3 maintain good fatigue durability.

Fatigue durability refers to the ability of parts to maintain function after long-term alternating load, and the reliability and durability of the vehicle are evaluated accordingly. The fatigue durability characteristics are related to the fatigue curve of the material. Of course, the fatigue performance of the solder joints and other connections on the car is more important. 3. way to achieve car lightweight:

3.1 optimize the sound structure of the car and improve the utilization rate of materials.

For example, in order to effectively disperse the collision energy in the event of a car collision, the lower part of the car body is changed from non-continuity to continuity; ribs are added; the finite element method design of the roller balance bar is strengthened; the planetary carrier body is used to make the body bar Thinning and so on.

3.2 the development and application of new materials:

For example, high-strength steel (hot-formed steel), light alloy (magnesium-aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, magnesium alloy), memory metal (microcrystalline steel), engineering plastic, ceramics, glass fiber, and the like are used.

3.3 optimization of the manufacturing process:

For example, laser welding, friction stir welding, extrusion forming, heat treatment, anchoring connection, etc.

For example, in structural rubber, in the past, there were only few applications of fired and hardened structural rubber on the car body, but now there is a trend to improve the rigidity of the car body and reduce the weight of structural components by using more structural rubber. Audi and Volvo There are more than 100 meters of structural rubber on some car bodies. For example, the foamed curing material filled in the valve body joint can effectively improve performance and reduce weight, instead of the traditional reinforcing plate form of reinforcing material.

It can be seen that most of the current optimization design ideas are to reduce the weight of the body without reducing the performance of the body, and to find a better load transmission path under a given situation, so as to design a better body structure. At the same time, the new technology of a large number of lightweight materials also helps to reduce the weight of the car body.

The above introduction is the advantages and disadvantages of common lightweight materials, if you need to know more, you can contact us at any time!