Mazda Motor Corporation has partnered with Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation and JFE Steel Corporation to develop the world's first cooling system using 1,310 MPa high-strength steel. Stamping automotive parts. This component will be used in Mazda's new-generation Skyactiv technology model architecture, which will first become the basic architecture of the new Mazda 3 model.
High-strength steels enable automakers to manufacture automotive parts from thinner metal plates, while maintaining the yield strength of the parts, making the body lighter, which helps improve vehicle operating stability and fuel economy. A strong body is also important to ensure high crash safety performance, and high-strength steel is widely expected in vehicles.
Because it is difficult to ensure the formability of steel and the accuracy after steel processing, the current cold stamped parts of body structures can only use steel of 1,180 MPa or lower. However, in cooperation with the above companies, Mazda has found a suitable set of processing conditions that make it possible to manufacture automotive parts by cold stamping using 1,310 MPa-grade high-strength steel.
The new Mazda 3 model uses 1,310 MPa-grade high-strength steel inside the vehicle's front pillars, inside the roof side members, reinforced hinge pillars, No. 2 beams and reinforced measuring beams, which reduces 3kg weight compared to the same parts of previous models.