F30POST
F30POST
2012-2015 BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > BIMMERPOST Universal Forums > General BMW News and Cars Discussion > BMW's Increasing Use of New Advanced Steel
proTUNING Freaks
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      12-22-2010, 11:27 AM   #1
Jason
Administrator
Jason's Avatar
United_States
40291
Rep
21,232
Posts

Drives: F80 M3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA

iTrader: (0)

BMW's Increasing Use of New Advanced Steel

With growing vehicle sizes and increasing weight from advanced technology and safety features, manufacturers are turning to the use of advanced materials to reduce vehicle weight. BMW is looking to the more widespread use of carbon fiber in its future cars (here's a great video about it), but is already currently considered an industry leader in the use of advanced steel in its cars.

Per Autonews:
Quote:
As North American automakers put their vehicles on a weight-reduction plan, they are turning increasingly to a new generation of advanced high-strength steel.

The average vehicle built in North America contains 151 pounds of advanced high-strength steel, up from 111 pounds in 2007, according to data compiled by Ducker Worldwide, a consulting firm in suburban Detroit.

Dick Schultz, Ducker's managing director, predicts automakers will increase usage of advanced steel 10 to 15 percent annually over the next five years or so. The stronger varieties of steel allow automakers to use lighter structural components.

What's the practical limit? Schultz expects usage will top out at about 450 pounds per vehicle. That would be more than half the weight of a typical vehicle's body, bumper and doors.

Right now, Honda Motor Co. and BMW AG are considered industry leaders in the use of advanced steel. But Schultz says all the automakers are making more use of it. "It's fair to say there were early adopters," Schultz said. "But everybody is catching up."

'New steel'

Schultz prefers to call the new varieties of steel "new steel," to differentiate them from the first generation of high-strength steel that has been around for years.

In the 1990s, the steel industry began to promote new steel as a way to reduce vehicle weight and improve a vehicle's crashworthiness.

Steel makers produce it by adding small quantities of alloys -- such as manganese or molybdenum -- then heating the metal above 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit. The result is hardened steel that still has enough "give" to be shaped by a stamping press.

One of the first automakers to make use of advanced steel was BMW, which now uses it in all its models. The 7 Series uses roughly 400 pounds of it per vehicle.
__________________
Check on the Latest BMW News
Become a fan of Bimmerpost Facebook
Follow us on Bimmerpost Twitter
Subscribe to Bimmerpost Youtube Channel
Appreciate 0
      12-22-2010, 04:00 PM   #2
antzcrashing
Brigadier General
antzcrashing's Avatar
United_States
1875
Rep
3,200
Posts

Drives: 2018 BMW 440i GC
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eastern MA

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
thumbsup
Appreciate 0
      12-22-2010, 04:12 PM   #3
bmwturkiye.net
Private
Turkey
5
Rep
90
Posts

Drives: Audi A5
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Istanbul / Turkey

iTrader: (1)

Steel? Audi uses aluminum
__________________
Appreciate 0
      12-22-2010, 04:28 PM   #4
takashin
Second Lieutenant
11
Rep
293
Posts

Drives: '17 YMB F82 M4
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston

iTrader: (2)

Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwturkiye.net View Post
Steel? Audi uses aluminum
I'd rather be in a steel car than an aluminum one in a crash
Appreciate 0
      12-22-2010, 04:36 PM   #5
Leonardo629
Lieutenant Colonel
Taiwan
168
Rep
1,792
Posts

Drives: 2013 M3 Coupe
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Taiwan

iTrader: (10)

I don't care if Audi uses silk

S4: 4000lb
335i: 3620lb curb weight

A5 cabr: 4154lb
328i cabr: 3925lb

Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwturkiye.net View Post
Steel? Audi uses aluminum
Appreciate 0
      12-22-2010, 06:33 PM   #6
wisesoul
Savoir Faire
wisesoul's Avatar
Philippines
74
Rep
1,772
Posts

Drives: 2013 BMW M5
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Los Angeles, Ca

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leonardo629 View Post
I don't care if Audi uses silk

S4: 4000lb
335i: 3620lb curb weight

A5 cabr: 4154lb
328i cabr: 3925lb
True, but it seems Audi is shedding off some weight:

A6 2.0 TDI(3,472.28 lb)-from press release, not including the driver.
F10 530d (3780 lb) -according to bimmerfile

I'm assuming any other A6/S6/RS6 model may fall close to that number.

If Audi continues this trend in their lineup, I think they will have a bright future.
Appreciate 0
      12-23-2010, 07:38 AM   #7
cmk227
Major
cmk227's Avatar
United_States
120
Rep
1,379
Posts

Drives: Goal: Another ///M
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Garland, TX & Northern England

iTrader: (2)

Quote:
Originally Posted by wisesoul View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leonardo629 View Post
I don't care if Audi uses silk

S4: 4000lb
335i: 3620lb curb weight

A5 cabr: 4154lb
328i cabr: 3925lb
True, but it seems Audi is shedding off some weight:

A6 2.0 TDI(3,472.28 lb)-from press release, not including the driver.
F10 530d (3780 lb) -according to bimmerfile

I'm assuming any other A6/S6/RS6 model may fall close to that number.

If Audi continues this trend in their lineup, I think they will have a bright future.
Until you get into an accident. Steel is always stronger than aluminum. I would prefer to hit a lighter vehicle than mine. I have a better chance to coming up on top (alive).
__________________

14 Lexus GX460 & 14 Lexus ES300H
14 BMW 528d Touring Estate - UK
Previous M's: 11 BMW M3 JZB ZCP 6MT, 02 BMW M3 Conv 6MT & 02 BMW M3 Coupe 6MT
Appreciate 0
      12-23-2010, 01:36 PM   #8
EuroCarsOnline
23
Rep
253
Posts

Drives: BMW Individual M3 Sedan
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northwest BMW

iTrader: (0)

Which one is stronger?

a) The Man of Steel
b) The Man of Aluminum (or just plain old Al for short)

Regards,

David
__________________

Ultimate Buying Power
BMWDavid@me.com
www.bmweco.com 202-262-2900
Call Joy for Vehicle Status 443-883-6925
Appreciate 0
      12-23-2010, 02:26 PM   #9
Fanta
C
Fanta's Avatar
Canada
50
Rep
722
Posts

Drives: 740iL, M3, Carrera
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Ottawa

iTrader: (1)

Steel are far more easy to repair than Aluminum.
Appreciate 0
      12-23-2010, 03:18 PM   #10
scheherazade
Major
36
Rep
1,467
Posts

Drives: 09 GTR (& 93' accord!)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: DC metro area

iTrader: (8)

Aluminum won't rust like steel.

However, I doubt many people plan on keeping their cars 20 years.

Old used car market will appreciate it.

-scheherazade
Appreciate 0
      12-23-2010, 07:18 PM   #11
viperssd
Private First Class
viperssd's Avatar
United_States
17
Rep
184
Posts

Drives: 2023 AW X7
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ohio, USA

iTrader: (2)

Its not always about strength, a lot of damage can be done when the energy is not absorbed in through the car. Well designed crumple zones are more critical than you think.
__________________
2011 335i xDrive E92 Montego Blue (Ret.)
2004 Z4 3.0i E85 Black Black Sapphire (Ret.)
Appreciate 0
      12-23-2010, 07:24 PM   #12
wisesoul
Savoir Faire
wisesoul's Avatar
Philippines
74
Rep
1,772
Posts

Drives: 2013 BMW M5
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Los Angeles, Ca

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by viperssd View Post
Its not always about strength, a lot of damage can be done when the energy is not absorbed in through the car. Well designed crumple zones are more critical than you think.
Exactly. Stronger doesn't necessarily always mean safer. If the crash structure of a steel car isn't efficient at dissipating crash forces, then obviously there will be some injuries
Appreciate 0
      12-26-2010, 04:57 AM   #13
bmwturkiye.net
Private
Turkey
5
Rep
90
Posts

Drives: Audi A5
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Istanbul / Turkey

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leonardo629 View Post
I don't care if Audi uses silk

S4: 4000lb
335i: 3620lb curb weight

A5 cabr: 4154lb
328i cabr: 3925lb
Those cars don't have ASF (Audi Space Frame). Audi TT, new A6, new A8 have it.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      12-27-2010, 07:44 PM   #14
RemovedUser
Guest
0
Rep
n/a
Posts

Drives:


Not a fair comparo, audi is awd, bmw is rwd.
Appreciate 0
      12-28-2010, 03:31 AM   #15
DGRBLU
New Member
0
Rep
9
Posts

Drives: BMW 135i Coupe / N55
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dodgertown, USA

iTrader: (0)

What's an Audi???
Appreciate 0
      12-31-2010, 08:41 AM   #16
bavarian19
General
bavarian19's Avatar
United_States
516
Rep
18,858
Posts

Drives: Car
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: VA

iTrader: (23)

Ill be interested to see the days when we see even more CF body parts on a production car.
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:00 AM.




f30post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST