Automotive industry
Automobiles are the most common form of transportation in the world. The main building material used in cars is the relatively inexpensive steel. However, as the automotive industry begins to focus more and more on fuel efficiency, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and design, aluminum is playing a role in modern vehicles. An increasingly important role. in 2014, the global automotive industry (excluding China) consumed 2.87 million tonnes of aluminium. By 2020, China is expected to consume 4.49 million tons of aluminum annually. Key factors for this growth include rising vehicle production and the widespread use of aluminum in modern vehicles. For every kilogram of aluminum used in a car, the total weight is reduced by one kilogram. For this reason, an increasing number of car parts are made of aluminum: engine radiators, wheels, bumpers, suspension components. Engine blocks, transmissions and body parts: hoods, doors and even frames. As a result, the share of aluminium in the average gross vehicle weight has been increasing since the 1970s: from the 1970s to the 1970s, the share of aluminium in the average gross vehicle weight has been increasing: from the 1970s to the 1970s, the share of aluminium in the average gross vehicle weight has been increasing: from the 1970s to the 1970s, the share of aluminium in the average gross vehicle weight has been increasing: from the 1970s to the 1970s, the share of aluminium in the average gross vehicle weight has been increasing. 35 kilograms to 152 kilograms today. Experts predict that by 2025, the average car will contain 250 kilograms of aluminum.
Since then, aluminium has become a key manufacturing material for the aerospace industry. The composition of aluminium alloys used in aircraft has changed and aircraft have improved, but the main goal of aircraft designers remains the same: to build a plane that is as light as possible, with the maximum possible capacity, using as little fuel as possible and with a body that does not rust. a plane that is as light as possible, has the maximum possible capacity, uses as little fuel as possible and does not rust on the body. It is aluminium that allows aeronautical engineers to hit all these targets. Aluminum is used almost everywhere in modern aircraft: in the fuselage, in the trim, in the wing panes and rudders, in the restraint systems, in the exhaust ducts, in the feed blocks, Refueling hoses, in the doors and floor, in the frames of the pilot and passenger seats, in the fuel nozzles, in the hydraulic system, in the inner columns of the cabin, in the Ball bearings are used in cockpit instruments, engine turbines and many other places. The aluminium alloys mainly used for aerospace applications are the 2хххх3ххххх5ххх6хххх7хххх series. 2xxx series is recommended for 7xxx alloys are used for highly loaded components in low temperature environments and for applications where high voltages are required. 3xxx, 5xxx and 6xxx alloys are used for low-load components, as well as for hydraulic, oil and gas applications. Lubrication and fuel systems. The most widely used alloy is 7075, which consists of aluminum, zinc, magnesium and copper. It is the strongest of all aluminum alloys and rivals steel in this respect, but it is only one-third the weight of steel.
Aluminum was originally used for premium car bodies. As a result, the first mass-produced car with an all-aluminum body was the Audi A8, which debuted in 1994. Other luxury brands soon followed: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Land Rover, Jaguar. 2014 in the automotive industry. Another milestone, an all-aluminium vehicle is unleashed on the mass market segment: this is the latest iteration of the iconic Ford truck - the "Ford". 150, America's most popular pickup truck of the past 38 years. By switching to an all-aluminum design, this one is 315 kilograms lighter than its predecessor, which gives it better fuel economy and a lower CO2 emissions. Cargo capacity has also been improved, and the model has better acceleration and braking characteristics. At the same time, the NHTSA has given the car its highest reliability rating, five stars instead of the four stars given to the previous model.
The Tesla's additional protection consists of three levels. The first level is a specially shaped aluminum beam that throws off any object the car hits on the road and absorbs impact. The second level is a titanium plate that protects the most vulnerable parts of the front of the car, and the third level is a stamped aluminum shield that repels the The energy vibrates and holds the car up and over solid, immovable obstacles.
Aluminum has another very useful property: it's very good at absorbing shocks: in fact, it's twice as shockproof as steel. For this reason, automakers have long used aluminum in their bumpers. The bottom of this revolutionary Tesla electric car is covered with 8mm bullet-proof aluminum panels that protect the battery compartment at top speed. Guaranteed safety at 200 km. Recently, the company began installing new aluminum-titanium armor plates on its vehicles, which allow the driver, while in full control of the vehicle, to and crush concrete and steel barriers on the road. Another reason why aluminum bodies are safer than steel bodies is that when an aluminum part bends or deforms, the deformation is limited to the impact. of the area, while the rest of the body remains in its original shape to ensure the safety of the passenger compartment. Experts claim that in the next decade, automakers will significantly expand the use of aluminum in their models. Large amounts of aluminum will be used for body parts and entire car bodies will be made of aluminum. At the same time, many automakers are currently negotiating with aluminum producers to establish closed-loop production facilities where new aluminum Car parts are made from recycled aluminum parts from discarded cars. It's hard to imagine a more environmentally friendly mode of production than this.