High-Strength Aluminum Alloys

August 17, 2017

Jennifer Shuttleworth

High-strength 6000-series alloys help automakers meet growing demand for lighter-weight vehicles.

Constellium HSA6 from Constellium N.V. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) is a new generation of high-strength 6000-series alloys designed to help automakers meet growing demand for lighter-weight vehicles. The material is in production for several 2017 and 2018 model year vehicles, including the Mini Countryman. Suitable for extrusion-based crash management systems, body-in-white structural components and battery enclosures, the company claims Constellium HSA6 allows designers to optimize extrusion shapes and reduce wall thickness to achieve weight savings of 15-30% compared to conventional aluminum alloys. With ultimate tensile strength higher than 400 MPa, Constellium HSA6 also provides enhanced recyclability, machinability and corrosion resistance. Alternately, Constellium HSA6 can provide 15-30% additional strength to reduce intrusion in the event of a crash, thereby enhancing protection of batteries, cooling systems and other critical vehicle systems, according to the company. Pictured are crash boxes ready for assembly to crash management systems.