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Ultrafine austenitic stainless steel for automotive sector

The use of high strength steels within car body structures is rapidly growing to meet the requirements for increased vehicle safety and fuel efficiency, through the light-weighting of structures. In particular, the steel community is currently applying low carbon Advanced High Strength Steel grades (AHSS). These grades include dual phase, complex-phase, martensitic, and transformation-induced plasticity.

These first and second-generation AHSS grades meet the performance demands of specific parts, with unique microstructural features, alloying additions, processing requirements, and advantages and challenges all associated with their use.

TWI is working with partners from across Europe in a study into the development of new stainless steel grades specifically for the automotive sector. The increase in industry demand has stimulated research for the development of steels with improved strength-ductility combinations, with the added advantage of not requiring zinc coating for corrosion protection.

ULTRASLIM addresses this research field through the development of new austenitic stainless steels that can be used in a wider range of applications. The joint project aims to deliver a new grade of austenitic steel that is able to meet the requirements of the automotive sector, specifically with a strength and ductility outside the range of present AHSS materials.

This should be realised in combination with low production costs and excellent corrosion performance, and the project aims to release its findings in late 2019.

ULTRASLIM is a European project under the RFCS Programme coordinated by Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF) and with the participation of Acerinox, TWI, and Tecnalia.

For more information, please email contactus@twi.co.uk.

Avatar Sullivan Smith Automotive Programme Manager

Sullivan Smith joined TWI Ltd in 2011 where he holds the position of Automotive Programme Manager. Prior to that he was employed by Tata Steel from 1998 through to 2011, working in resistance welding R&D and support for the automotive industry.

Sullivan’s specialization is in resistance welding and mechanical fastening processes. His main tasks have been to provide technical support to the European automotive and general manufacturing sectors. In recent years Sullivan has worked on the joining of dissimilar metal alloys and metal to composite joining, and the joining of electrical connections for EV applications. He is also the UK expert on the ISO standard committees for resistance welding and mechanical fastening.

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