Cars are one of the most used and beloved inventions that humans have made. Moreover, it has become an industry that is constantly developing and innovating, as the technology applied to vehicles advances at an impressive speed. Currently, these means of transport must offer a wide range of services combined with safety, intuitiveness, and connectivity in order to be considered by potential customers. Trends in the industry such as being environmentally friendly, the famous intelligent cruise controls, warning systems to prevent frontal collisions, rear-view cameras, in addition to lane departure alerts have arrived to improve people's lives and to pose a greater challenge in car manufacturing.
The use of steel in the automotive industry
The predominant material in the automotive industry is steel, mainly for its mechanical properties, as it offers great resistance to corrosion and ductility, in addition to its low cost compared to other alloys or metals. Although a body has the presence of many materials, this alloy represents between 70 and 80% of the total weight of this element. This speaks to the importance it is given within the vehicle manufacturing process.
It is important to mention that stainless steel is the preferred alloy by various manufacturers, as it offers various benefits in the production process. Some of these advantages are:
- It is a material that is extremely strong, but that is easy to handle due to its lightness.
- It has excellent resistance to shocks or blows.
- The alloy allows to easily modify its shape and give it the most attractive design for users.
- It perfectly withstands all kinds of extreme temperatures.
- It offers incredible safety features to passengers, something that is fundamental for car manufacturers.
- It has a longer lifespan than the vast majority of alloys and metals.
- It has an excellent aesthetic finish and allows for more attractive and aerodynamic designs.
- It does not require arduous and difficult maintenance processes.
Uses and characteristics of stainless steel in car manufacturing
When there is an accident, the dynamic energy of this impact is absorbed, in the first instance, through the plastic deformation of this alloy. The greater the mechanical properties of the material, the more energy it is able to absorb. In the case of stainless steel, the faster the load is applied, the harder it is for it to yield to deformation. This characteristic makes it a perfect option against this type of accidents. Because in an impact, the load is applied extremely quickly.
A well-designed system in the structural part, which has stainless steel, has the ability to deform progressively, but in a controlled and predetermined way that seeks to offer a better protection system to users. Mainly, it works like a sponge that absorbs all possible damage in order to protect passengers. This metal offers the greatest capacity to absorb energy in relation to the speed of deformation. For example, it absorbs 2.5 times more any damage than carbon steel.
This alloy can be very light and benefit vehicle production
Stainless steel has high strength grades, which also offer formality and weldability or ease of joining by different methods. In addition, it has the possibility of reducing thickness, which translates into a great reduction in weight without losing safety, as it does not require an extra layer of protection, which also benefits it being much lighter.
Stainless steel in vehicle structure
This material is an excellent candidate for structural applications of cars and vehicles. Although competition in this area with other alloys and metals is enormous, manufacturers' choice focuses on mass saving, conformability, weldability, corrosion and fatigue resistance, cost, plus environmental factors that are so important today. Designers seek the best rigidity, mass reduction and passenger safety.
What other elements is stainless steel used in the automotive industry?
One of the main challenges to be overcome by car manufacturers is the control of pollutant emissions to the atmosphere. There are increasingly strict regulations, so it has been necessary to make various modifications and innovations to the engineering of light and heavy vehicles. It is in this constant technological advance, that stainless steel has gained a lot of importance.
The vast majority of cars have this alloy in the exhaust pipe and around the catalytic converter area. The exhaust releases pollutants into the atmosphere such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. However, it is the catalyst that is responsible for transforming these gases into water to eliminate any environmental risk. Having this element has become indispensable in large urban sectors. This is the main market for stainless steel in the automotive sector.
This alloy is increasingly used in parts such as hose clamps, pump bodies, heat shields, windshield wipers, airbag containers, and seat belt springs. Mainly because of its high resistance to corrosion, how easy it is to manufacture these elements and its great mechanical properties.
At Ulbrinox we are proud to supply the industry with the highest quality stainless steel in Mexico and Latin America. You can check our catalog and request a quote on this website. If you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to contact us! Our experts will advise you personally. We have more than 20 years providing global solutions.
