Steel market specialists in North America will introduce a worldwide, multi-million program to provide auto body concepts at the 10th Annual Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) seminar to be conducted in Livonia, Michigan in May 18, 2011.
The FutureSteelVehicle (FSV) program launches sophisticated production technologies and steel grades to the steel industry’s advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) products. The program introduces different types of advanced steel structures for sophisticated powertrains such as fuel cell, electric and hybrid vehicles.
According to Ducker Worldwide, the usage rate of AHSS is very high when compared to that of competitive materials in the automotive industry, marking it as a rapid growing lightweight material.
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) is helping the automotive industry through its continuous research on new steel solutions to meet strict requirements of emissions and fuel efficiency. USS-POSCO Industries, United States Steel, ThyssenKrupp Steel USA, SSAB Americas, Nucor, ArcelorMittal USA, ArcelorMittal Dofasco and AK Steel are some of the investors of SMDI.
The Vice President of Automotive Market at SMDI, Ronald Krupitzer, stated that reducing weight in new powertrains is the major criteria for automakers that will decrease motor and battery sizes by utilizing structural mass reduction. While demands for current AHSS materials are growing, SMDI is researching on next-generation AHSS materials, he added.