by Aluminum is one of the most used metals in the automotive industry. It has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, allowing automakers to create lighter vehicles without compromising on safety or performance standards. This helps them to meet new fuel economy regulations and lower emissions. During the past few years, automotive manufacturers have increased the use of low-weight, high-strength aluminum components in their vehicles at a faster pace than ever before.
Whether it is to boost fuel efficiency, meet emissions standards or compete with more established automakers in the U.S., manufacturers are increasingly turning to automotive aluminum for their car production. The increased demand for aluminum in automotive applications has helped to create an ideal environment for innovative product development. This includes the creation of new alloys that can withstand the rigors of modern automobile manufacturing while providing the benefits of lightweight aluminum.
As the world’s leading automotive producers look to meet increasing consumer demands for increased efficiency, greater technology and safer vehicles, they need innovative materials that can help them stay ahead of the competition. As such, they are investing in revolutionary forms for automotive components and unique processes to reduce industrial energy use, processing wastes and production costs. These innovations include the use of aluminum to replace heavier steel parts.
Aluminum is versatile in nature, which enables automobile manufacturers to combine it with other metals or with materials such as fiberglass and plastics to enhance specific properties. Also, aluminum has the capacity to absorb twice the crash energy as compared to mild steel, which makes it safer. Automotive manufacturers are focusing on improving performance, fuel economy and reducing emissions, without affecting the size, safety, and capability, a factor that has led to significant growth of the automotive aluminum market.
Automotive aluminum is increasingly gaining popularity in the automotive industry as it offers a better weight-to-strength ratio for a given size and provides greater corrosion resistance than some other metals. It also can absorb twice as much crash energy pound-for-pound as some steels, making it safer in a collision.
Another advantage of using aluminum is its ability to be recycled fairly easily. As it is more readily available than steel, it is a popular choice for body and secondary components of cars, trucks and buses. This helps reduce the amount of landfill waste generated by these vehicles, as well as reduces the strain on natural resources. Moreover, aluminum can be recovered from discarded vehicles by companies that specialize in shredding automotive aluminum.
The aluminum industry must work to make consumers aware of this benefit, as the automotive steel industry has done a good job of communicating the fact that its products are highly recyclable. Moreover, the industry must ensure that it is able to recover the large amounts of aluminum that are expected to be recycled from automotive components. This will require the development of delacquering techniques like those used in aluminum can recycling to remove paint and other coatings from the surface of the aluminum. It will also require companies that operate auto shredders to be prepared for the increase in aluminum content and make sure that they can process it effectively. In June 2022, Shape Corp. and Hydro, a leading aluminum and renewable energy provider announced an agreement for exploring and bringing automotive components to the U.S. market using Hydro CIRCAL, which contains minimum 75% post-consumer aluminum scrap.
