Use of aluminium in cars

[Marcie]

Hey,

I have to make an economic paper about the use of aluminium in the cars. (Like in the Audi A2)

Which kind of aluminium is used? Why is it used?
How do the join it with the other parts? Which aluminium-joint is use... All this questions and many others, should have been answered!

I hope you can help.

Greetings,
Marc

 

[BLN]

In automotive electronics we use aluminum castings for modules (housings and lids). We plan to use 5052 for a future module lid. Primary reason for using aluminum, weight savings.

In doing some research on joining technologies, it was pointed out on one site that laser welding is used in some instances to join aluminum. There's also some work with friction stir welding.

Aluminum normally has to be anodized or coated in some manner (alodine for example) to prevent corrosion.

 

Aluminium is often adhesivly bonded as welding can be difficult. Friction stir welding is mainly used in aerospace where two sheets are joined together. Electron beam welding is also used (in addition to laser).

Remember aluminium although is intrinsically weaker than steel absorbs more impact energy.

 

[Rob45]

Marcie:
The obvious reason aluminum is used in cars, in spite of its' greater cost, is its' light weight.
Lighter weight in a car means that a less-expensive and lighter powertrain can drive it, while still getting acceptable performance. Lighter-weight cars require lighter-weight suspensions, *sometimes* resulting in improved handling.
Aluminum also has a greater scrap value, meaning that both pre- and post-consumer scrap is worth more.
It has some serious drawbacks: corrosion is an issue, especially where it is joined to dissimilar metals. Example: Lincoln decklids that rotted completely through at their (steel) hinges.
Joining can be done with mechanical fasteners (rivets, screw, setc.) as well as with adhesives.
See numerous technical papers on Panoz cars for more information.