Increasing Demand for Aluminum Alloys in the Automotive Field
Higher requirements are put forward for the lightweight of automobile bodies in the automobile manufacturing industry due to the problems such as environmental pollution and increasing energy consumption. Both whole body and parts suppliers are trying to reduce weights in various ways, such as using new materials and new processing techniques. For the weight reduction of the body-in-white, currently, aluminum plates, laser tailor-welded blanks, TRB, hot forming, hydroforming, and high-strength steel are commonly used. While the weight of the body is reduced, the safety performance of the body is also guaranteed and improved. Among the more mature technologies, the application of aluminum plate technology has reduced the weight of the car body to the greatest extent, and has made a great contribution to the lightweight of the car body.
According to the related prediction, the compound growth rate of the domestic passenger car will be 7% before 2020. Driven by the use of aluminum alloys in the structural parts field, European and American aluminum for bicycles will continue to grow. It is expected that domestic bicycle aluminum will approach Europe and the United States in 2020, that is, at around 178 kg. The price of aluminum castings remains unchanged, that is, it is maintained at 35,000 to 40,000 RMB per ton. In 2014, the domestic traditional automotive aluminum part market space was about 60.7 billion RMB, and it is conservatively estimated that the domestic automotive aluminum part market will reach 162.2 billion RMB by 2020. In addition, aluminum for micro-electric vehicles will increase from 300 million RMB in 2014 to 26.8 billion RMB in 2020. According to this, the domestic automotive aluminum market will grow from 61 billion RMB to 189.9 billion RMB in 2020. According to the domestic automobile industry exchanges, major domestic automobile companies have started the application research of aluminum alloys.
The automobile industry is the main market for aluminum castings. For example, 76% of aluminum castings and 77% of aluminum die castings are automobile castings in Japan. Aluminum alloy castings are mainly used in engine cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, pistons, intake manifolds, rocker arms, engine suspension brackets, air compressor connecting rods, transmission housings, clutch housings, wheels, brake parts, handles, etc.
There are inevitably defects in aluminum castings, and die castings cannot be heat-treated. Therefore, there is limitation when aluminum alloys are used to produce high-impact castings. For this reason, the manufacturing process of the casting has been improved, and the casting forging and semi-solid forming will be used more in the future.
Deformed aluminum alloy refers to aluminum alloy plates and strips, extruded profiles and forged materials, which are mainly used for automobile body panels, body frames, engine radiators, air-conditioning condensers, evaporators, wheels, decorative parts, suspension system parts, etc.
The application of aluminum alloy to the car body is expanding due to the obvious lightweight effect. For example, the Japanese Honda NSX car launched in September 1990 used an all-aluminum load-bearing body, which was 200 kg lighter than the same body made of cold-rolled steel plates, which has attracted worldwide attention. 31.3% aluminum was used for the whole vehicle of NSX. For example, on the all-aluminum car body, 6000 series alloy was used for the outer panel, 5052-0 alloy for the inner panel, and 5182-0 alloy for most of the frame. There were high requirements for side door frames, so 6N01 alloy with proper adjustment of Mg and Si content were used. In Europe and America, 2036 and 2008 alloys are also used for the inner and outer panels of the car body.
The main production process of aluminum alloy parts is forging. The parts produced by the forging process are mainly parts with high requirements for mechanical performance, such as wheels, chassis suspension system control arms, steering knuckles, air-conditioning compressor scrolls, etc.
The aluminum chassis has an obvious lightweight effect, which significantly improves the performance of the vehicle. The aluminization rate in foreign countries is relatively high. Aluminium is mainly used in high-end self-owned brand cars and pure electric cars, but the rate is only about 10%. Knuckle products have the highest rate among chassis parts. The most technically difficult part is the sub-frame. The product yield is low; the dimensional accuracy needs to be improved, and the welding joint's performance and deformation control of the welding level are bad.
The application of aluminum alloy parts has become an important way to realize the lightweight of automobiles. The subframe is used as a support for the front and rear axles and suspensions. Foreign OEMs use aluminum alloy subframes on medium and high end models, which has a significant lightweight effect. This article introduces two forming methods of aluminum alloy subframes: one is direct forming by a single process such as pressure casting, aluminum tube hydraulic forming or stamping and welding of aluminum plates; the other is the combination of two or more processes such as casting forming, extrusion forming, aluminum tube hydraulic forming, stamping of aluminum plates.
Structural parts attach great importance to lightweight efficiency, design of lighter parts, development of materials with higher performance, higher production efficiency and yield rates, which are the main trends in the future. Therefore, the automobile industry must aim at the international advanced level and conduct more in-depth research and development on the performance and production technology of aluminum alloys for automobiles in China. The research of domestic materials should be conducted and integrate the current relatively scattered scientific research forces. The automobile manufacturing industry and aluminum processing industry should work together, support each other, and develop together. Systematically study the relationship among the composition, microstructure, mechanical properties and stamping properties of aluminum alloys. The research on aluminum alloys for automotive body panels should be especially carried out. Develop plates with the same formability and hardening properties of backing finishes of the steel plate through optimizing the alloy's composition, heat treatment and processing technology. Fully study the welding performance of aluminum alloys, and develop alloys that can improve the welding performance of aluminum and steel. Artificial neural network and numerical simulation technology should be used to realize the matching and prediction of the complex nonlinear relationship between material preparation technology and performance, and to further optimize the processing technology of aluminum plates, aluminum strips and aluminum profiles for automobiles. Fully study the safety, environmental protection and recycling of aluminum alloys, and develop recycling technologies. Develop new types of aluminum alloys for automobiles, such as Al-Li alloys, superplastic aluminum alloys, particle-reinforced aluminum-based composite materials, etc.
With the continuous improvement and maturity of design methods and manufacturing processes, increasing the use of lightweight materials has become the primary goal and development direction of lightweight automobiles. The "Made in China 2025" plan requires automotive manufacturers to increase the use of lightweight materials in automobiles to achieve an average vehicle weight reduction goal of 5% to 20%, especially in the field of new energy vehicles. Through weight reduction, the cruising range can be effectively improved.
According to the related prediction, the compound growth rate of the domestic passenger car will be 7% before 2020. Driven by the use of aluminum alloys in the structural parts field, European and American aluminum for bicycles will continue to grow. It is expected that domestic bicycle aluminum will approach Europe and the United States in 2020, that is, at around 178 kg. The price of aluminum castings remains unchanged, that is, it is maintained at 35,000 to 40,000 RMB per ton. In 2014, the domestic traditional automotive aluminum part market space was about 60.7 billion RMB, and it is conservatively estimated that the domestic automotive aluminum part market will reach 162.2 billion RMB by 2020. In addition, aluminum for micro-electric vehicles will increase from 300 million RMB in 2014 to 26.8 billion RMB in 2020. According to this, the domestic automotive aluminum market will grow from 61 billion RMB to 189.9 billion RMB in 2020. According to the domestic automobile industry exchanges, major domestic automobile companies have started the application research of aluminum alloys.
The automobile industry is the main market for aluminum castings. For example, 76% of aluminum castings and 77% of aluminum die castings are automobile castings in Japan. Aluminum alloy castings are mainly used in engine cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, pistons, intake manifolds, rocker arms, engine suspension brackets, air compressor connecting rods, transmission housings, clutch housings, wheels, brake parts, handles, etc.
There are inevitably defects in aluminum castings, and die castings cannot be heat-treated. Therefore, there is limitation when aluminum alloys are used to produce high-impact castings. For this reason, the manufacturing process of the casting has been improved, and the casting forging and semi-solid forming will be used more in the future.
Deformed aluminum alloy refers to aluminum alloy plates and strips, extruded profiles and forged materials, which are mainly used for automobile body panels, body frames, engine radiators, air-conditioning condensers, evaporators, wheels, decorative parts, suspension system parts, etc.
The application of aluminum alloy to the car body is expanding due to the obvious lightweight effect. For example, the Japanese Honda NSX car launched in September 1990 used an all-aluminum load-bearing body, which was 200 kg lighter than the same body made of cold-rolled steel plates, which has attracted worldwide attention. 31.3% aluminum was used for the whole vehicle of NSX. For example, on the all-aluminum car body, 6000 series alloy was used for the outer panel, 5052-0 alloy for the inner panel, and 5182-0 alloy for most of the frame. There were high requirements for side door frames, so 6N01 alloy with proper adjustment of Mg and Si content were used. In Europe and America, 2036 and 2008 alloys are also used for the inner and outer panels of the car body.
The main production process of aluminum alloy parts is forging. The parts produced by the forging process are mainly parts with high requirements for mechanical performance, such as wheels, chassis suspension system control arms, steering knuckles, air-conditioning compressor scrolls, etc.
The aluminum chassis has an obvious lightweight effect, which significantly improves the performance of the vehicle. The aluminization rate in foreign countries is relatively high. Aluminium is mainly used in high-end self-owned brand cars and pure electric cars, but the rate is only about 10%. Knuckle products have the highest rate among chassis parts. The most technically difficult part is the sub-frame. The product yield is low; the dimensional accuracy needs to be improved, and the welding joint's performance and deformation control of the welding level are bad.
The application of aluminum alloy parts has become an important way to realize the lightweight of automobiles. The subframe is used as a support for the front and rear axles and suspensions. Foreign OEMs use aluminum alloy subframes on medium and high end models, which has a significant lightweight effect. This article introduces two forming methods of aluminum alloy subframes: one is direct forming by a single process such as pressure casting, aluminum tube hydraulic forming or stamping and welding of aluminum plates; the other is the combination of two or more processes such as casting forming, extrusion forming, aluminum tube hydraulic forming, stamping of aluminum plates.
Structural parts attach great importance to lightweight efficiency, design of lighter parts, development of materials with higher performance, higher production efficiency and yield rates, which are the main trends in the future. Therefore, the automobile industry must aim at the international advanced level and conduct more in-depth research and development on the performance and production technology of aluminum alloys for automobiles in China. The research of domestic materials should be conducted and integrate the current relatively scattered scientific research forces. The automobile manufacturing industry and aluminum processing industry should work together, support each other, and develop together. Systematically study the relationship among the composition, microstructure, mechanical properties and stamping properties of aluminum alloys. The research on aluminum alloys for automotive body panels should be especially carried out. Develop plates with the same formability and hardening properties of backing finishes of the steel plate through optimizing the alloy's composition, heat treatment and processing technology. Fully study the welding performance of aluminum alloys, and develop alloys that can improve the welding performance of aluminum and steel. Artificial neural network and numerical simulation technology should be used to realize the matching and prediction of the complex nonlinear relationship between material preparation technology and performance, and to further optimize the processing technology of aluminum plates, aluminum strips and aluminum profiles for automobiles. Fully study the safety, environmental protection and recycling of aluminum alloys, and develop recycling technologies. Develop new types of aluminum alloys for automobiles, such as Al-Li alloys, superplastic aluminum alloys, particle-reinforced aluminum-based composite materials, etc.
With the continuous improvement and maturity of design methods and manufacturing processes, increasing the use of lightweight materials has become the primary goal and development direction of lightweight automobiles. The "Made in China 2025" plan requires automotive manufacturers to increase the use of lightweight materials in automobiles to achieve an average vehicle weight reduction goal of 5% to 20%, especially in the field of new energy vehicles. Through weight reduction, the cruising range can be effectively improved.
