MATERIALS AND PROCESSES AS THE DRIVING-FORCE FOR INNOVATION IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Requirements placed on automotive materials. Chances for substitution by new materials depending on cost cutting potential and altered requirements. Design and production aspects to be considered in the evaluation of a given material. Environmental requirements and increased role of price as a purchasing criterion have an impact on material selection. Three development directions, i.e., improvement of conventional materials, use of conventional materials for new applications in automotive design, and newly developed materials. Surface treatment by plasma nitriding of components (crank-shafts, camshafts) and hard material coating of shaping tools by the CVD and PVD method. Transition to low-solvent water-based paints, reduction in overspray, increased use of powder coating.