Change is inevitable and continuous. And the change is happening within even shorter periods of time than before. The duration between the 1st and 2nd industrial revolution took nearly 200 years. Whereas, although we were talking about the 3rd revolution (computer-aided systems, the digital revolution, information technology, electronics usage…) at the beginning of the 1970s, just 30 years after, we are now talking about 4th revolution, namely Industry 4.0.
The industrial change will be one of the challenges of the 21st century which is linked to globalization, digital change, and energy evolution. Automotive, one of the main drivers of industrial production will be one of the utmost affected sectors.
As members of the sector, we have to think about;
– New mobility concepts
– Rising energy costs
– Industry 4.0
– ADAS
– Further reduced emissions
– Digital technologies
Rising energy costs, further reduced emissions, global trends toward CO2 reduction and resource efficiency have significantly increased the importance of this topic over the last years. Automotive industry’s one and best solution for these are electric vehicles and lightweight solutions made of high strength aluminum.
Aluminum Usage as a solution….
The Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Transportation Group (ATG) communicates that the benefits of aluminum in transportation outline as below:
Performance benefit which is due to lighter vehicles with aluminum, resulting fuel-efficient engines and due to optimum shape and performance in the design phase.
Strength, weight and safety benefit is due to high strength low weight aluminum, resulting in maintaining or even increasing the size and energy absorption capacity of a vehicle’s critical front and back-end crumple zones for improved safety.
Durability benefits are due to aluminum naturally born corrosion resistant specification, which in turn makes the vehicles corrosion resistant. Plus, lighter than the steel (approximately one-third the weight of steel) enables the producers/designers to use thicker and stronger parts but still in a reduced weight way.
Sustainability benefits swelling by new production methods of aluminum. The energy needed to produce primary aluminum is down more than 25{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} since early nighties and carbon footprint is down nearly 40{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29}. Whereas a vehicle can achieve a 20{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} reduction in energy consumption over its full-life span meaning 17{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} reduction in CO2.
Efficiency benefit is stemming from weight reduction. 10{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} weight reduction in a vehicle means 5-7{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} fuel saving. This benefit affects constructively even further for electric vehicles, that is to say, a 20{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} reduction in weight will permit 20{826c69e3a464a4e4c4be6fbc214267a11ad4a77e741dabf50b17358abf793f29} more travel with the same charge
Kalibre Aluminium has born from the idea that Kalibre Group has to be ready to this devastating change…combining the 40 years of expertise in automotive with the shining metal of the sector, aluminum.