Automotive Industry Lightweight Foam Aluminum Application

【China Aluminum Network】 The lightweight structure, energy absorption and noise control of foam aluminum materials have made them widely applicable in the automotive and transportation industries. Automobiles are increasingly becoming lighter in weight, lower in energy consumption, and more secure and comfortable. For this reason, materials with low density, good overall performance, and high recyclability are required. The European Commission’s bright European plan is to study the application of aluminum foam materials in automobiles. With the foamed aluminum component, the rigidity of the car frame is enhanced, which can increase the stability of the frame by 30%. Automotive manufacturer Karmann AG has selected aluminum foam sandwich panels for the top cover and bottom plate of passenger cars. Its rigidity is 7 times higher than that of the original steel components, but its quality is 25% lighter than that of steel parts; it is made of foamed aluminum sandwich panels. The soleplate of the car is reduced by about 50% in mass per square meter compared to the steel floor. The Australian Light Metal Performance Research Center (LKR) and Germany's BMW Corporation jointly developed a foam aluminum structure engine mount that improves the engine's high quality while also dissipating mechanical vibration and thermal energy, and its shock and vibration resistance. And security has been improved.

The foamed aluminum material has a strong ability to absorb impact energy, undergo plastic deformation when impacted, and absorb the impact of external loads, which can effectively protect the safety of vehicles and occupants. When a car with a mass of 1500 kg collides at a speed of 48 km/h, the area under impact is calculated as 1000 mm x 150 mm and the thickness is calculated as 20 mm. Then the foamed aluminum can absorb 84% of the total impact energy.

At present, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Hyundai and other automobile companies are all developing foam aluminum car bumpers, and some companies have passed crash tests. Aluminum foam materials are heat-resistant, flame-retardant, and do not release toxic gases when in a heated state. Therefore, the use of foamed aluminum materials instead of foamed or foamed resin materials can increase service life and reduce maintenance, while eliminating the need for traditional materials in vehicles. The harmful gas generated during the accident greatly reduced the losses and casualties in traffic accidents, and also played an environmental role.

Aluminum foam can also be used to make urban rails and soundproof screens next to viaducts. The internationally-recognized ideal sound-insulating screen has a sound-absorbing function close to the noise source side and an overall sound-insulating function. The preferred soundproof screen is made of foamed aluminum. The outer side is aluminum veneer, and the inner side is bare aluminum foam. It has sound-absorbing function and can be soundproofed by 20-30dB. Semi-cylindrical foamed aluminum and steel back or concrete backings have been developed for noise control of freeway bridges and subways.