Automotive Aluminum

Aluminum use continues to rise in the automotive industry. Automakers are turning to aluminum more and more because of its many advantages (weight savings, recyclability, parts consolidation, crashworthiness, etc.). Below are some facts about aluminum and the automotive industry.

Use:

The transportation industry uses over one-third of all the aluminum manufactured in the United StatesÑmaking it the number one market for aluminum. Approximately 8.7 billion pounds of aluminum were shipped to the transportation industry in North America in 2005. Automakers use aluminum for applications ranging from wheels to frames to suspension componentsÑthe possibilities are almost limitless

Environmental Strengths:

More than 85 percent of post-consumer automotive aluminum scrap, and virtually all post-manufacturing automotive aluminum scrap, is recycled. In 2006, 57 percent of of all automotive aluminum was sourced from recycled metal. Aluminum has "sustained recyclability"Ñwhich means it can be recycled again and again without a decline in material performance or quality. Secondary aluminum requires just 5 percent of the energy needed to produce primary aluminum. Aluminum recycling is a successful enterprise without the need for government incentives or regulation. Due to aluminum's lighter weight, it can be an important contributor to increasing a vehicle's fuel economy and reducing emissions.

Advantages:

Today, aluminum accounts for approximately 10 percent of a vehicle's total weight, but it represents 35-50 percent of the total material scrap value at the end of its useful life. Aluminum has one-third the density of steel, which means a component can be 1.5 times thicker than a steel version while remaining 50 percent lighter. It can absorb twice as much energy as steel at the same weight. It is corrosion resistant, unlike steel which must be coated with other metals like zinc to improve its resistance to corrosion. Aluminum's lighter weight and stiffness can enhance a vehicle's acceleration and handling, and reduce its noise, vibration, and harshness characteristics.

For more information on aluminum in autos, visit www.autoaluminum.org

Autolightweighting
AutomotiveAluminumAlloysAndApplications
Autorepair
Crashworthiness
HandlingAndPerformance
JoiningTechniques
Manufacturability
RecyclabilityAndScrapValue