In the automotive field, it is becoming increasingly difficult to improve engine technology and new energy power system technology.
Traditional fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles have chosen the "re-opening path" invariably. Vehicle lightweight technology has become a common basic technology for both.
On July 4th, at the "2019 (Fourth) Automotive New Materials Industry Development Forum", automotive lightweight expert Yu Xiangdong published a report entitled "Automobile Lightweight Multi-Material and Process Application Design Analysis" Wonderful speech.
He said that thinking about the overall design of the car from a lightweight perspective is an important thrust of the automotive technology revolution. "But we must not forget the original intention of lightweight vehicles, in order to achieve energy saving and reduce environmental pollution!"
Automotive lightweight expert Yu Xiangdong
At present, vigorously developing and promoting automotive lightweight technology has become one of the leading means of energy conservation and emission reduction.
For automakers and related component suppliers, the ways and means to achieve weight reduction are diverse and comprehensive. Automotive lightweighting can be roughly divided into three categories: lightweight structural design, lightweight new materials, and new molding processes.
Among them, the commonly used lightweight materials mainly include high-strength steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, plastic, and carbon fiber. Yu Xiangdong said that the use of these materials should be comprehensively considered from the aspects of material characteristics, structure, manufacturing process, connectivity, economic cost and recycling, and be fully optimized.
He discussed from four aspects: the significance of traditional steel, aluminum alloy, carbon fiber composite material and light weight of commercial vehicles.
Yu Xiangdong analyzed the body structure of the Tesla Model 3 in detail, and believed that the lightweight development of the traditional steel structure body can be based on the Model 3. "In addition to the extensive use of hot-formed steel sheets, high-strength steels above 500 MPa have also been increasingly used."
Aluminum alloy is one of the first materials selected by many OEMs to promote automotive lightweighting. It has the comprehensive advantages of economy and reliability. It has many application cases in the profile, stamping and die casting of many models. Yu Xiangdong said, "Aluminum alloy is currently the most popular material for body weight reduction, and it can be used in low, medium and high-end markets."
He is most optimistic about the future development of carbon fiber composite materials. "Carbon fiber is a priority material for lightweight vehicles. After the cost is appropriately reduced, it will be widely used. Among them, pultrusion + winding + woven composite profiles will have more applications."
In terms of commercial vehicles, Yu Xiangdong pointed out that commercial vehicles accounted for 10.1% of the total car ownership, but accounted for 55-60% of energy consumption, which can be analogized to emissions. Each weight loss of 1,000kg can save about 50,000 yuan in costs. "Research on the weight reduction of commercial vehicles is far behind passenger cars. It is at the beginning stage and has a lot of room for development."
He finally emphasized that weight reduction is more suitable for the product positioning, product strategy and production strategy of the OEM. "Lightening must be combined with the currently designed production line. If the selected technical route is produced on the existing production line, It ’s useless to come out. "