Six revolutions in body materials: from wood to composites, witnessing human development!

I still remember that when I was a child, the car was still very far away for us. Don't say that I have my own car. It is very exciting to go out and get a car. Nowadays, buying a car of your own is no longer a problem. For a car, in addition to brand, configuration, etc., we still have many invisible places, such as: body material, the most critical part of a car, its quality is largely determined by the vehicle Security. And with the development of the vehicle, it also has its own history.

First revolution

Wood to iron plate, carriage to car

Let us start from the birth of the car. The car invented by Karbenz is a three-wheeled "carriage" that can run. As for its body material, it is a lot of wood. However, due to the excessively heavy engine, in order to better carry the weight of the engine and improve the reliability of the vehicle, the "Victor Deya" brand has changed the body, the frame and other large parts to steel and aluminum plates. Most of the other materials are still low-cost iron with a lightweight soft top design. Even so, the vehicles at the time were very advanced.

Second revolution

TIN tin film makes the car more EASY

As the production method changes, the body material is also changing. However, due to the problem of the mold at the time, and the cost of materials such as steel plates was too high, the overall weight was not suitable for the horsepower of the vehicle at that time. For various reasons, they chose to use Tin tin for compression molding, and then welding and assembly. This not only reduces material and production costs, but also guarantees vehicle production.

Third revolution

The new favorite of tough metal body

People are increasingly demanding vehicle quality, driving advances in vehicle technology and enabling people to find alternatives to Tin tin. The iron sheet material has become the new favorite of the car enterprises. The vehicle body materials of the vehicle are basically made of iron material, and the front bar and the rear bar are also selected as the design materials.

Later, the Germans proposed to divide the body into rigid areas and energy-absorbing deformation areas. For rigid areas, high-strength processed metals were used, while energy-absorbing deformation areas used lighter energy-absorbing materials, such as plastic products. . It not only reduces the cost, but also ensures the safety of the vehicle.

Fourth revolution

Galvanized sheet is corrosion resistant! Anti-corrosion!

Steel plate materials have always occupied an absolute leading position in the history of automobile development. However, with the increasing pursuit of speed and appearance, the galvanized steel sheets developed secondaryly by steel plates have once again been recognized by manufacturers. Since the 1970s, galvanized steel sheets have been widely used for car body panels. It is so popular mainly because it has good corrosion resistance and it can be made very thin. This improves the overall life of the car while reducing the quality of the car.

Fifth revolution

High-strength steel for peace of mind for consumers

In order to meet the requirements of the automotive industry for high strength and light weight, steel companies have successively launched high-strength automotive steel series steel plates. This high-strength steel sheet is obtained by a strengthening method based on a low-carbon steel sheet, and the tensile strength is greatly enhanced. The use of high-strength properties can maintain the mechanical performance requirements of the car body while the thickness is reduced, thereby reducing the weight of the car. This high-strength steel plate is also increasingly favored by more car manufacturers.

Sixth revolution

Multi-dimensional exploration, composite body and carbon fiber first debut?

The application of high-strength steel guarantees the quality of the car. But with the development of society, the changes in people's needs, and the research and development of technology by car companies, everyone has a strong desire for better cars. This is reflected in the body material, which is to replace the current high-strength steel with a higher strength and lighter quality material.

Among them, the carbon fiber material is born out of this. Due to its high strength, high toughness, and light weight, it has been widely used in super sports cars. However, due to its high cost, it is doomed that carbon fiber materials cannot be widely used in other mass-produced models.

As a result, smart humans have found another new path that combines mechanical demands with cost control – a new aluminum composite . The new aluminum composite is very reliable because it has a relatively low acquisition cost, and its strength and toughness are much higher than that of high-strength steel, and its corrosion resistance is better than steel. Coupled with its own light weight, it has attracted the attention of many car companies. And tried on some models, this application should be the Cadillac CT6.

The Cadillac CT6's aluminum composite body has a total of 11 different metal materials. Nearly 58% of the parts are made of lightweight aluminum composite materials, which makes the whole car lighter than the traditional steel body by about 99kg. This makes the Cadillac CT6 full of self-confidence, I heard that TA recently showed its light figure in Shanghai Xintiandi by the "several" eggs. The aluminum composite material only reduces the quality of the body, and the safety of the vehicle, the handling of the vehicle and even the fuel efficiency have been greatly improved.

to sum up

Recalling the changes and changes in body materials, it is not difficult to see that the trend is always toward a lighter, safer, longer life direction. Although the high-strength steel is the darling of the car enterprises at this stage, but in the future, who will rise and fall in the carbon fiber and composite materials, we have not seen the difference, we just need to wait.