By CRM Staff
Toronto, Ontario — April 27, 2018 — Another breed of steel may be entering your facility soon. Fender Bender recently reported on a new “third-generation steel” to improve driver visibility. In light of aluminum becoming increasingly prominent in modern vehicle design, the U.S. steel industry has begun to develop a third-generation steel to compete. According to Fender Bender, the major benefit of this new steel is its improvement on driver visibility.
The increased visibility is largely due to effects the steel has on the A-pillar – a structural component located on the right and left windshield to help secure the roof to the rest of the car. Unlike when aluminum is used for the A-pillar, a material which demands a wider application width due to its lower strength material, steel allows for more flexibility.
According to Fender Bender, Jody Hall, vice president of the Steel Market Development Institute, estimates that it will take about 20 years for aluminum to catch up to other steels in the market in terms of strength and malleability. She also notes that there can be massive reduction in weight in vehicles from high-strength steel, because the thickness needed in the frame is much smaller.
