Reducing Vehicle Weight through Mixed Materials – the Topic of New SAE International Webcast
Warrendale, PA (PRWEB) April 14, 2014 -- Part of the Technical Webcast Series from the editors of SAE International, “Lightweighting with Multi-Material Vehicles” is a free, one-hour program that will be held Tuesday, May 6, at 12 p.m. EDT.
Vehicle weight reduction is a major goal for the world’s automakers as they work to meet new, ultra-stringent U.S. and European fuel-efficiency regulations. No component or system, regardless of size, is immune to redesign as design engineers scour the entire vehicle to cut pounds here and save grams there. Likewise, traditional materials including steel are not safe from substitution as design teams consider a range of lightweight, structurally robust materials such as aluminum and composites to suit their specific needs. As a result, vehicles will increasingly employ mixed-material solutions rather than consist of any one material.
In this webcast, participants will hear James deVries, a Ford materials expert, discuss his company’s mixed-materials strategy, which includes the aluminum-intensive F-Series program; the cost-benefit equation for moving to lighter-weight, higher-cost materials; and the manufacturing and other challenges encountered by switching to advanced materials for high-volume application. Steel technology is not standing still, and Craig Parsons, President of Automotive, NanoSteel, will discuss new developments in advanced high-strength steels and their role in future multi-material vehicles. Selamawit Belli, the North American Structural Adhesives Field Marketing Manager for Dow Automotive Systems, will share the latest in adhesives technology, including those for composites-intensive vehicles such as the BMW i3, as well as the challenges involved with bonding dissimilar materials. Webcast attendees will be invited to interact with the experts during a Q&A segment.
Speakers will include:
- James E. deVries, Manager, Global Materials and Manufacturing Research, Research and Advanced Engineering, Ford Motor Co.
- Craig Parsons, President of Automotive, NanoSteel
- Selamawit Belli, Field Marketing Manager, Structural Adhesives, Dow Automotive Systems
The webcast is sponsored by Al-Fe Heat Treating, Celanese Corporation, Dow Automotive Systems, and Henkel, and hosted by SAE International.
Moderator will be Lisa Arrigo, Custom Electronic Products Editor, SAE International.
To find the start time in a different time zone, click here.
SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting over 145,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.
Shawn Andreassi, SAE International, http://www.sae.org, +1 (724) 772-8522, [email protected]
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