OPTIMAL SUBSTITUTION OF LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS IN AUTOMOBILES

This paper presents a relatively simple technique useful for determining the most economically attractive materials mix given the weights and costs of all material-component combinations and an overall weight target. The technique has been applied to a production mid-sized vehicle to obtain optimal material mixes for 26 structural components. The competing materials include mild steel, aluminum, high strength low alloy steel (HSLA), E-glass and five different graphite reinforced plastic hybrids. A computer program was developed to perform the necessary calculations. The results of several cases are presented and analyzed.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • From SAE Meeting held June 9-13, 1980.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Reid, D
  • Stevenson, P
• Publication Date: 1980-6

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 18 p.
• Serial:
  • Society of Automotive Engineers Preprint
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alloys; Aluminum; Aluminum alloys; Applied mechanics; Automobiles; Computer programs; Costs; Graphite; Lightweight materials; Plastics; Reinforced plastics; Size; Steel; Strength of materials; Structural mechanics; Structural steel; Structures; Vehicular materials; Weight
• Old TRIS Terms: Automobile materials; Structural; Structural application; Weight control
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Finance; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00331775
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 800828
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 9 1981 12:00AM