ACHIEVING ALUMINUM'S MASS AT STEEL'S COST

摘要

AUTOMAKERS continuously strive to reduce motor vehicle mass, mainly for efficiency and environmental reasons-to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. However, as they reduce vehicle weight, they must try to avoid compromising other important criteria, such as strength and energy management. They look for technologies, techniques, and processes that satisfy these various, and often conflicting, objectives. They also must consider process and functional characteristics. If a design engtneer changes a part, how will the manufacturing engineers make the new part? How will the line workers join the various parts to make assemblies? When finished, will everything work as intended?