Honda made aluminum with steel

Honda Motor Co Ltd announced on Tuesday that the company's engineers developed a technology that allows the use of aluminum inserts on the outside of the car doors, which until this moment were entirely made from a steel sheet.

The new technology, according to representatives of the company, will reduce the weight of the door panel by about 17% and will thus contribute, thus, efficiency and high dynamic characteristics of the car as a whole.

In addition to a general weight loss, lighter doors will allow you to shift the center of gravity closer to the center, which will positively affect the stability and maneuverability of the car.

The problem of the connection of aluminum and steel consists in the fact that these materials have various coefficients of thermal expansion, which made previously it is impossible to ensure tightness at the junction. An additional problem of the connection of aluminum with steel is the occurrence of electrochemical corrosion 1 .

Honda engineers managed to overcome all obstacles and launch a new Acura RLX of new generation, which will begin to be sold in the US market in March 2013. The company plans to further expand the use of this technology for other brands of cars.

Recall that the German concern Volkswagen recently refused to use aluminum in its new models arguing this solution with a high cost of aviation metal. The replacement of aluminum was offered special engine to increased strength and corrosion resistance.

Meanwhile, aluminum is used in the manufacture warm sexes of all types and appointments.



1 - electrochemical corrosion, is the most common type of destruction of metals. Such corrosion flows on the surface of metals under the influence of electric currents, that is, redox chemical reactions are characterized by the return of electrons and their transfer, since cathode and anode areas are formed. The formation of cathodes and anodes is facilitated by the connection of two metals with various redox potentials and their immersion in a solution of electrolyte, for example, rainwater.