The automotive industry has been continuously evolving and aluminium has had a key role to play in this process of evolution. In the early stages, steel was excessively used in the transport sector to make vehicles, but automakers were on the constant lookout for an alternate material that would enhance the fuel efficiency of vehicles while reducing the carbon footprints and cost. Aluminium’s potential was not entirely discovered as it was initially being used only in the structural body parts of vehicles.
The first sports car made with an aluminium frame was showcased at an exhibition in Berlin and it highlighted the diverse yet unknown properties of aluminium. In fact, 1980 and the years that followed proved to be a ‘shining’ period for aluminium as it found its way into trains, trams as well as aircraft. Automakers soon realised that aluminium was an ideal material and a lot could be done with the metal to manufacture efficient and modern vehicles. Today, aluminium alloys are the second most used materials in the automotive sector.
Automotive applications
With the automotive industry evolving over the years, the application of aluminium in vehicles has increased with time. Aluminium met the requirements of metal that automakers were obsessed about. The need to reduce the weight of the vehicles so as to enhance energy efficiency increased the demand for aluminium. Aluminium in its various forms started featuring in the manufacturing of vehicles. Aluminium extrusions were increasingly being used in gear pumps, vehicles’ body structures, truck trailers, vehicle windows, engine parts and components, metro and railway coaches as well as the automatic braking system.
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ATS ELGI launches new range of equipment for CV segment
GARAGE EQUIPMENT
VECV delivers 50 CNG buses to PMPML in Pune
VEHICLE ZONE
Lucas TVS chosen as one of India's best workplaces in auto industry
The certification was done by The Great Place to Work Institute which works with the purpose of giving companies an opportunity to benchmark their practices that make every workplace unique for employees
JAMNA AUTO launches new trailer air suspension, bullish on market success
Understanding the pulse of the Indian customers, drivers and operating conditions, the home-grown company has come up with an ‘Indian product for Indian roads at Indian price’, reports N. Balasubramanian
Bridgestone drives Saabri Logistics' advancement with top-notch end-to-end tyre management
It is never easy for a fleet operator to strike the right balance between tight revenues and rising fuel and parts’ costs. However, if chosen wisely, important elements such as tyres can help in business advancement. Rajesh Rajgor finds this to be true in the case of Saabri Logistics
ZF to invest Euro 200 million as part of ‘Refresh India' strategy
ZF has announced a significant investment of around Euro 200 million as part of a strategic consolidation of its business domains with renewed impetus to drive growth in the Indian market over the next decade.
Chasing records, making roads, with Tata trucks
Jagdish Kadam, Chairman & Managing Director, Raj Path InfraCon shares details with MOTORINDIA about striving to create a world record for the longest road constructed in 24 hours, his company operations, and his fruitful association with Tata Motors.
IPL-Shaw JV for DEF solutions takes flight!
Commenting on this development, Gautam Venkataramani, Director, IPL Shaw Solutions India, said, “India Pistons Limited’s customer experience, local manufacturing strength over 60+ years with research and development and application engineering expertise will be used to provide DEF system solutions with light-weighting, performance-oriented approach leading to CAFE focus.”
What COVID has taught the resilient auto retail industry
In this special Guest Column, Vinkesh Gulati, President, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), shares his observations and views on how the Indian automotive retail sector has weathered the COVID storm and the key learnings and takeaways from the experience
“Cautiously optimistic on growth as COVID continues, emphasis on strong exports and aftermarket” - Vinnie Mehta
Contributing more than 6% to the nation’s GDP as per reports in April 2021, the Indian automotive industry in its entirety provides employment to about ‘37 million people’.
