As automotive manufacturers go, so goes the OEM supply chain.
As automotive manufacturers go, so goes the OEM supply chain.
According to the UK's Automotive Council, weight targets for 2030 are unlikely to be met in some vehicle types, even if the body chassis and shell are made of air. Thermoset and thermoplastic composites are two groups of materials from which light enough components can be made to meet the seemingly ambitious targets. Industry analyst John Osborne considers the considerable commercial opportunities and some of the technical challenges that are emerging in the automotive composites market.
New CAFE requirements stand to impact original equipment parts suppliers.
Decorative chromium demand in the worldwide market is more than three times that of hard chromium. However, chromium plating processes have long been known to be hazardous. The corrosion resistance of a nano-crystalline Sn-Co-X alloy as an alternative for decorative chromium has been studied. The corrosion resistance of Sn-Co-X is better than trivalent chromium, hexavalent chromium, and it is much better than coarser- grained Sn-Co alloy, our research shows. The microstructures of Sn-Co-X alloy were analyzed by SEM, TEM, XPS and AES. The mechanism of its excellent corrosion resistance is described herein.
Quest for multi-material solutions poses challenges–and opportunities–for automotive supply chain.

