I. Introduction
Automotive lightweighting is an important way to achieve energy saving and emission reduction, increase fuel efficiency and improve vehicle performance. The use of magnesium alloy can better help to achieve these purposes.
II. Specific applications
Vehicle Body Structural Components
-Instrument panel bracket: Magnesium alloy instrument panel bracket is lightweight, which can effectively reduce the overall weight of the vehicle and improve fuel efficiency.
-Seat frames: Magnesium alloy is used to manufacture seat frames with good strength and durability, while significantly reducing the weight of the seats.
Powertrain Components
-Engine components: Magnesium alloys are widely used in the manufacture of engine covers, intake manifolds and oil sumps. Its excellent casting properties and vibration damping properties help to improve the overall performance and reliability of the engine.
-Transmission casing: Magnesium alloy transmission casing is lightweight and has good heat dissipation performance, which helps to improve the efficiency and durability of the transmission.
Chassis System Components
-Wheel: Magnesium alloy wheel helps to reduce the weight of the whole vehicle and improve fuel economy and driving performance due to its lightweight and high strength characteristics.
-Suspension system: Magnesium alloy suspension system components, such as control arms and steering knuckles, have high strength and vibration-damping properties, which help improve vehicle handling and comfort.
Interior and exterior trim
-Door panels and boot lids: Magnesium alloy interior panels and boot lids are not only lightweight, but also have good impact and corrosion resistance.
-Seat frames and roof racks: Seat frames and roof racks made of magnesium alloys can significantly reduce the weight of the body, improve vehicle safety and fuel efficiency.
Almost all companies will first try to find a solution from the perspective of the body frame when addressing the challenges of automotive lightweighting. Because the body frame accounts for the largest proportion of the total volume and area, and it is more convenient for OEMs to communicate the selling points of their models.
At present, magnesium and aluminium alloy are the two ideal materials for lightweighting of automobiles. According to the Aluminium Institute of America report, if the car every use 0.45Kg aluminium, can make the body weight reduction of 1Kg. to the white body, for example, if the aluminium alloy instead of steel and high-strength steel, the weight of its body is 230kg, the highest can be reduced by 40%. However, magnesium alloy in the weight reduction performance is better, because its weight is about 2/3 of the aluminium alloy, only 153kg, its weight reduction ratio can be more than 50%.
Not only in the weight, magnesium alloy also has the advantages of low density, high specific strength, high specific stiffness, anti-vibration, easy recycling and easy processing. Comparison of equal mass and has a similar interface components of the metal specific stiffness, magnesium alloy is 18.9 times the steel, aluminium alloy more than twice, ranked the first of the three major lightweight metal.
Magnesium alloy materials may be the most direct and effective solution for automotive lightweight. But at present the world magnesium production overall decline (China's production is the largest, but subject to environmental restrictions), with the whole magnesium alloy instead of the entire body-in-white is not realistic, but part of the idea of gradual replacement is still feasible.
The current magnesium alloy manufacturing cost of the gradual decline, and processing technology has also made a breakthrough, so that its application areas are more and more extensive, the demand has also increased, but at present, the automotive market is still the main driving force to maintain its growth. According to the statistics of 2016, China's average automobile magnesium consumption is about 3kg, compared with the average automobile magnesium consumption in North America in 10kg is far away. At present, China's automotive magnesium also mainly stays in the field of automotive steering wheel, the future of the instrument panel bracket, automotive wheel hub, automotive headlight bracket and other potential penetration space is huge.