Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Awesome
However, if you ONLY want to deal in "real world realities" then try this really simple one on for size:
If Aluminum was as cheap and easy to use as steel then why aren't cars made from more aluminum already? Why weren't cars ALWAYS made from aluminum?
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It`s a simple enough question to answer. Until recently the use of steel was necessary for making cars meet safety concerns for passenger safe crush zones in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety`s test for head on and offset crash testing. But with the advancement in hydroforming technology for future automobile production those requirements can be met or exceeded as the technology has advanced. Before the use of hydroforming it was difficult to shape aluminum into complex shapes for automotive designers, that problem is no longer an issue. Hydroforming using Aluminum will be the process used for making future automotive parts as opposed to the traditional stamped die process currently being used. You can keep contending that aluminum is cost prohibitive but the fact that it can be recycled more cheaply and easily will make that argument a mute point of contention as the availability of aluminum rises by mining and recycling the price will decrease. Simple enough?