2013-36-0142

Body Structure contribution for automotive energy efficiency

improvement - INOVAR Auto Program
Alisson Sarmento, André Luiz J. Pereira, Carlos A. Barbieri, Carlos Sakuramoto
General Motors of Brazil – Product Engineering – Tech Center SCS

Copyright © 2013 SAE International

ABSTRACT commercial vehicle plants are planned to start its operations in

The new Brazilian automotive regulation, INOVAR, states
aggressive energy efficiency targets until 2016 to vehicles sold
in Brazil. Many engineering solutions shall be done and
implemented by OEM's to adequate current and new vehicles
to INOVAR requirements. The Body Structure represents
about 40% of vehicle mass and it is fundamental portion of
energy efficiency study. The biggest body structure engineers
challenge is provide mass reduction changes without
jeopardize legal requirements and structural vehicle
performance such as: Safety, Reparability, Torsional and
Bending Stiffness, Durability, etc. Either OEM's or Suppliers
manufacturing have an important task supporting Product
Engineers on new parts development with different materials,
shapes and joining. The contribution of Body Structure mass
reduction for Internal Combustion Engines vehicles is not
enough to achieve targets because new Program establishes
smaller Energy Consumption for lighter vehicles. However,
Body Structure mass reduction is necessary to allow
Secondary vehicle changes like: Rolling resistance, Friction
Reduction and Engine technologies such as: Multiple valves,
Variable valve actuation, Engine downsizing, Start Stop
Systems. Body Structure mass reduction requires new material
which impacts either Brazil suppliers or OEM’s manufactures.
Keywords: INOVAR-AUTO, Body Structure, mass
reduction, Product Engineering.
Brazil, and more than US$ 20 billion was announced in
investments to increase the capacity to more than 2.5 million
units until 2015. Even with this optimistic scenario, Brazil is
not a competitive global market. One of the major problems is
the high government tax over the final product to the
consumer. In the next graphic it’s possible to realize how
much the tax are untidy with others countries.
More than elevated prices, the Brazilian vehicles technology is
pretty poor considering the countries listed by Figure 1 and
competitiveness is the passport to the future. The Brazilian
government aware about this had started a national program
known as “Brazil Maior”, which slogan is “Innovate to
compete. Compete to grow”. This federal government
program establishes an industrial, technology, service and
foreign trade policy for the period from 2011 to 2014.
Focusing on encouraging innovation and domestic production
to boost the industry's competitiveness in domestic and export
markets, the country arranges to social and economic
development. Being part of this major program, a new cycle
for automotive industry started in Brazil with the promise to
contribute to this government plan, the new policy known as
INOVAR-AUTO, which is coming to change all the national
industry. The Brazilian Federal government focus in
implementing this policy is to stimulate the competitiveness,
local manufacturing and investments in new technologies to
improve vehicles fuel consumption and performance
(Ibusuki)[2].

1. INTRODUCTION
Considering the Brazilian economy grown during the last
years, it’s notable the industry increase, mainly the automotive
niche. In fact, the automotive market grew about 145% from
Figure 1 - Tax burden on cars in selected countries – Share
2002 to 2011, in an annual average more than 10%. The
in consumer prices (ANFAVEA) [1]
domestic sales grew by 109% considering the same period,
averaging 8.6% per year (ANFAVEA)[1]. Those numbers
This program will be implemented from 2013 to 2017, and all
show us an encouraging and potential growth to automotive
the OEM’s which adopt this program need to work hard to
industry in the coming years. About 15 passenger and
achieve the program targets and get the benefits that will be
Page 1 of 15
exposed later, and the right step in order to improve Brazilian
automotive industry and its products.
It’s clear that to support this new policy, all automotive chain
need to be prepared to provide the resources the OEM’s will
need. Since external suppliers to internal manufacturing
process and materials providers are facing the same challenges
considering the actions need to be done until 2017. Mass
reduction, new materials and process utilization are included
as part to provide a better energy efficiency in future vehicles.
According Gehm [3] in next 5 years, either Body Structure or
Powertrain systems are development areas that will be most
impacted by companies in lightweighting efforts.
Automotive vehicles with Fuel Economy efficiency is a global
trend among the OEM’s. Comparing some years ago, OEM’s
have been improved their fuel economy vehicles performance
as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 - Fuel consumption to weight ratio for new cars
Atabani et al [4]
Considering this information this paper will address the Body
Structure contribution for automotive energy efficiency
improvement, dealing with the complete chain responsible to
support it development and manufacturing to achieve the
INOVAR-AUTO targets.
2. RESEARCH QUESTION &
HYPOTHESIS & METHODOLOGY
The present paper aims provide a clear comprehension about
the following question “How is the benefit of body structure
mass reduction on current production vehicles to achieve
INOVAR Energy Efficiency Requirements?”. Based on initial
researches three hypotheses can be stated:
i. Body Structure represents, usually, 1/3 of curb
vehicle mass. The result of it mass reduction requires
less engine energy contributing significantly to
achieve INOVAR Energy Efficiency targets;
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ii. Although Body Structure mass reduction contributes
significantly to fuel consumption, the government
targets is very aggressive and more engineering
systems is required instead of only Body Structure
mass savings;
iii. Otto vehicles concentrate energy losses in other
systems such as Engine, HVAC, Transmission, etc.
At this way Body Structure mass reduction does not
contribute significantly to achieve INOVAR Energy
Efficiency targets.
Research methodology is Qualitative and Exploratory based
on currently available scientific information and authors
knowledge with large Automotive Product & Manufacturing
Engineering Design experience.
3 THEORICAL BACKGROUND
3.1 – Brazilian government plan history
Brazil market is the 4th largest global car market with 3.6
million vehicles annual sales and the 7th manufacturer, with
3.4 million units produced (ANFAVEA) [1].
Figure 3 - Brazil’s Global sales position (Ibusuki) [2]
Brazil agrees with other countries in considering auto industry
one of the most important and strategic industry to the entire
economy. Most of the other productive chains have a link to
automotive chains. Attracted by a high potential market, and
access to Mercosul, several automakers decided to move their
investments to Brazil, bringing their plants (Hyundai,
Mercedes Benz, Audi, Fiat-Iveco, Honda, Peugeot, Citroen,
Renault, Toyota, Mitsubishi, International, Nissan, and most
recently the Chinese Automaker industry has arrive, looking
for a piece of the South America market with Brands JAC,
Cherry, etc.
Nowadays, the auto industry represents an important variable
in the national account, because it represents 2% of country
GNP and 13% of overall exportation. Latin America has today
a relation of 6 inhabitants per vehicle, and Brazil is over the
this average with 6.5, while in the developed countries this
relations achieve the rate of 1.2 in the North America and 1.7
in Japan and 1.4 in Australia (ANFAVEA) [1].
The Brazilian auto industry had 4 waves, during the Auto
industry development:
1st Wave: Considered from 1920 up to 50´s, where the
mainstream was to assembly the finished import parts, called
kits. Government has not so many influences about the auto
industry and its chain. But from de 20´s up to 50´s we could
consider that the seeds of industrialization had been
established due to the influence over the all diamond factors.
Workers which used to come from the farm side, completely
lack of industrial skills, started to be trained, engineering
school started teaching more and more students, small metal
workshops started getting familiarity about the car
components and manufacturing ways, and also government
started focusing in changing auto industry as a leading
segment to thrust the Brazilian economy.
territory, with a promise of reduced import tax for
technology.
4th Wave: In order to stimulate the Automakers to invest in
innovation and technology, the Brazilian government, created
a second looping of the “Regime Automotivo” called as
INOVAR-AUTO. On this program all Automakers that has
interest to get avoid tax increase of 30% under their product
price, needs to start from 2013 until 2017, to direct parts of the
profit , in vesting them on technology and engineering , in
order to achieve the efficiency targets. The Federal
Government adopts this rule in order to drives the Local Auto
Industry for better and more efficiency engineer solutions.
3.2 – Body Structure concept
The Body Structure is an important vehicle subsystem that
performs different functions, since being the armature that is
going to be able to hold the other vehicles parts, until refine
some requirements as noise and vibrations, durability and
safety. The body is going to be used also to differentiate the
luxury vehicle from an economic vehicle.
3.2.1 - Automotive Body Structure Types


nd
2 Wave: Considered from 1950 up to 80´s, when the
Brazilian auto industry was obligated to nationalize de entire Space Frame: Framework of beams connected at
cars. nodes. The framework is responsible to provide the
structural integrity and performance. Usually the
The Transition to 3rd Wave up to now: Started at 90´s with a process used in order to produce this kind of Body
consolidated Production factor in terms of human and natural Structure is the Roll forming and Hydro form
resources developed along the previous 40 years, as described process, that drives to be a low volume product
already in this text. The 90´s were characterized by market´s (Figure 4).
globalization, resources and technology. Brazil had promoted
an exchange rate parity again, and opened its boundaries to
international trade, so that as soon as it had happened, there
was an invasion of imported products, due to their better
quality and cost compared to a local product. As soon as this
situation had started, at the same time, Brazilian government
had forbidden the importation of information and automation
technology. Brazilian industry had to survive with their
obsolete technology and processes so that, day after day, they
were losing their competitively. The government, as soon as
he had identified the streamline of bankruptcy of entire
industrial segment, had limited and impose quote for the
importation volume. In 1975 had written a new law called:
“Regime Automotivo”, which was the engine of dynamic Figure 4 - Space Frame Concept


changes over the entire Brazilian automotive chain. This law
was written to give a chance to:
 Automakers already installed in the Brazilian
territory, upgrade and enhance their technology and
processes in order to achieve a worldwide
competitive level;
Central Close Tunnel: Large member down the
center portion of the vehicle, responsible to bring
structural integrity to the vehicle. This kind of
construction limits the quantity of seats on the
vehicle (Figure 5).

 Newcomers (new Automakers or auto parts

manufacturers) to install their plants, in the Brazilian

Page 3 of 15

Figure 5 - Central Close Tunnel Concept
 Body on frame (BOF): Since the 80’s it is a
common Body Structure type for Medium and Heavy
Pickup trucks. The main characteristic is a sub frame
attached to Body Structure by flexible Body Mounts
(Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Body on frame Concept

Body Frame Integral (BFI): This is the currently
predominant configuration for the passenger’s cars
(Figure 7).
Figure 7 - Cadillac - BIW provided by lightweight structural
materials (Gehm) [3]
3.2.2 - The Automobile Body Material range
Typical Body structure is assemble with metallic parts, usually
steel, but nowadays, in order to meet fuel consumption and
performance requirements, new materials like aluminum and
Page 4 of 15
Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) have become very
common on this kind of usage (Figure 8).
Figure 8 - The general arrangement of these Structural
materials for Emergent Marketing
3.2.3 - Automotive Body Structure Requirements
In order to be commercialized in the Brazilian market, the
vehicle must meet some Legal and Performance Requirements
such as: Occupant Protection and Fuel System Integrity,
ABNT NBR 15300 – 1, ABNT NBR 15300 – 2, ABNT NBR
15300 – 3, ABNT NBR 15240, ABNT NBR 15241, Fuel
Tank, Neck and Fuel Tank Connections, Steering Control
System Displacement, Energy Absorbing Steering Control
System and Operating requirements, Rear View Mirror, Doors
Locks and Hinges and Fuel System Integrity.
3.2.4 – Performance Requirements
OEM’s have their performance targets such as: Global Static
Torsional Stiffness, Body Global Dynamic Stiffness –
Trimmed Body, Local Panel Frequency, Durability Analyzes,
Trim Body Transient Fatigue Analysis, Seat Body Side
Durability, Tow Hook/Lug Strength for Ocean Shipping
Objective, ELPO Transportation Load Case, Engine Removal
Fixture, Roof Panel Deflection, Quarter Panel Stiffness,
Interface Free-free Stiffness, Interface Drive Point Dynamic
Stiffness, Lateral Stiffness at Control Arm Outer, Front and
Rear Tire Patch Stiffness Analysis. Those targets are
competitive differential between OEM’s.
3.3 - Body Manufacturing
3.3.1 - Stamping
Stamping is a process commonly used in the production of
complex metal parts in automotive industry. In general, the
stamping process consists of stamping, cutting and flanging.
Depending on the complexity of the part, additional operations
can be included.
The stamping process illustrated by Hosford [5] and Jonker
[6], may be double or single action, as shown in Figure 9a and
Figure 10b respectively. In both configurations, the part
features are transferred to the sheet metal by the action of
matrix on the punch, and controlled by draw beads.
Figure 9 - Double Action process
Figure 10 - Single Action process
The function of the holder is to control the sheet metal
movement while the stamping die is in contact with the punch
giving the final shape of the piece.
The draw bead is an anti-wrinkle device, which controls the
feeding speed of the sheet metal.
One of the following operations, after stamping, is called
trimming, where excess material is removed by action of
cutting steel (Figure 11).
Figure 11 - Trimming process
Usually, for the outer panels, trim operation prepares the panel
to be flanged.
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Figure 12 - Flange Die
The flanging operation is a process where the edge of the
stamped part is bent at a specific angle, usually 90 ° as shown
in Figure 12. In general, for outer panels, trimming is a
preparation for Hemming Operation.
According to Thomas et al [7] and Galbraith et al [8], most car
manufacturers generally use a sequential manufacturing
process, where each component at each stage of the process
should be validated and approved dimensionally before going
to next step. Often, this process is responsible for a lot of loss
of time and money, also wrong resources allocation and
constant reworks.
In accordance with Thomas et al [7], Galbraith et al [8] and
Sakuramoto [9], the residual stresses generated during the
manufacturing processes are obvious causes of rework: i)
stamping ii) cutting, iii) flanging, iv) restriking, v) drilling, vi)
clamping, vii) gluing, viii) hemming, ix) welding, and so on.
In each of these stages, stamped components will present
some kind of distortion due to external loads, and will
accumulate throughout the process, and sometimes could be
amplified or minimized. This distortion usually is known as
springback.
3.3.2 – Hemming
In accordance with Svensson and Mattiasson [10], Jonkers [6],
Thuilier et al [11], hemming operation is a process where the
edge of the outer panel is folded around the inner panel,
creating a rigid fold.
The same previous authors state that there are three
main types of Hemming: i) Die Press (Figure 13a); ii) Table
top (Figure 13b); and iii) Robot Roller (Figure 13c). The
selection and use of one of these processes depends on several
factors, such as: investment level, aesthetics, safety,
processing time and other specific technical requirements.
Figure 13 – Main hemming Devices
Die Press Hemming is a process carried out in two steps: first
called pre-hemming (Figure 13a.2), where the flange edges
(Figure 13a.1) are folded to a certain angle of pre-hemming
and a final step of hemming (Figure 13a.3) in which the edges
of the outer panel is compressed on the inner panel. In this
process, it uses two presses, one is used for the pre-hemming
and the other is used for hemming.
Figure 13a – Die Press Hemming Steps
Table Top Hemming, is usually the most complex and
expensive one. In only one device, pre (Figure 13b.1) and final
hemming (Figure 13b.2) is performed.
Figure 13b – Table Top Hemming Steps
The "robot roller hemming", according to Jonkers [6] and
Thuillier et al [11] is unique. A small cylinder, driven by a
robot, folds the flange tab on the inner part through a pre-
determined path. Generally, it is done in two steps (pre and
final hemming), but depends on the complexity of the
trajectory, and the flange tab. In order to speed up the process
more robots can be used. (Figure 13c.1, c.2 and c.3). It is a
low-cost process, fast, flexible and easy adjustment tryout. In
general the same tool is used from the prototype to the
production phase.
Figure 13c – Robot Roller Hemming Steps (Jonkers) [6]
Page 6 of 15
3.3.3 – Welding
Process commonly used in the production to join two or more
sheet metal parts, using in accordance with RWMA [12], a
powerful heat source, in general those sheet metal parts come
from a previous full stamping operation.
Welding can be performed by a material addition or simply by
means of fusion of materials to be joined.
In welding, thermal energy can be defined as (RWMA) [12] :
(1)
Where:
Q = Thermal Energy [J]
R= Contact Resistance [Ohm]
I = Current [A]
t = Welding process time [s]
Figure 14 - Resistance Welding Sketch
Where:
R1 & R2 – Electrode
R3 & R4 – Sheet metal & Electrode Contact
R5 Contact between sheet metal
R6 & R7 – Sheet metal
Besides sheet metal mechanical properties, the welding quality
is proportional to coating, and contact force between parts.
3.3.4 - Other manufacturing processes
There are many other processes along the body manufacturing
process such as Clinching, Clamping, Dimensional and 3D
Inspection, Painting, Automation, Hydroforming, Hot
Stamping, and so on, that can be accessed through specific
literatures.
3.4 - Achieving INOVAR-AUTO Targets
As mentioned previously, the INOVAR-AUTO program
purpose is providing competitiveness, technology and safety
for the vehicles produced and sold in national territory.
Considering this large market, it allows via tax incentives put
national vehicles in global technological route. The program
encourages investment in R&D providing total innovation
used by the OEM’s, increase engineering spending volume,
industrial technology base, and supplier’s qualification and
capacity. With all this, the program aim to develop, build and
sold economic vehicles, increasing safety and energy
efficiency.

The program bring benefits to OEM’s which produce vehicles

in Brazil, OEM’s who just sale it’s vehicles here and OEM’s
which present national investments, as example BMW. These
benefits come in reduction on IPI tax. This reduction is 30
percentage points on current tax. In the next table is possible
to analyze the situation.
Table 1 - IPI tax increase (ICCT) [13]
Figure 15 - Mandatory and Bonus Curves (INOVAR) [14]
It’s possible to see 4 linear lines in the graphic. The red line is
the current situation in energy consumption. It’s the baseline
for the other lines. The yellow line represents the minimum
energy consumption which is mandatory until 1st October
2016 (12.2% baseline reduction), the blue line represents plus
1% deduction in IPI tax (15.5 baseline reduction) and the
green line represents plus 2% (18.8% baseline reduction). The
energy consumption was calculated based on linear equations.

4 DEVELOPMENT

4.1 - Automotive Mass X Fuel Efficiency

The IPI reduction will be done depending the energy
efficiency achieved by the OEM for the vehicle mix sold in
the country. Until October 2016 the OEM’s are committed to
achieve the minimum energy efficiency proposed by the
program and necessarily to invest in modern technologies such
as efficient/cleaner engines and lighter parts.
Current average fuel consumption is about 14km/l in gasoline
usage and 9.71km/l in ethanol. The target is respectively
17.26km/l and 11.96km/l. Further the mandatory target to the
program, the OEM may get an additional 1% or 2% tax
reduction. Considering this scenario, the final consumer will
potentially saving about US 552.88 per year in fuel spending,
what means nearly 75% paid in IPVA tax. The energy
consumption target is represented in the graphic below.
4.1.1 - Fundaments of Physical for vehicle
movement
Intuitively lighter vehicles have less inertial forces that engine
has to overcome to provide same performance as the vehicle is
accelerated, so the work required to move the vehicle is thus
lessened. To understand the physical impact of vehicle weight
on fuel consumption, Cheah [15] studied the key parameters
that contribute to a vehicle's fuel consumption from the follow
relation:
(2)
Where:

= Vehicle's fuel consumption [L/km]

= Engine's specific fuel consumption [L/kWh]
= Engine power output [kW]
= Time [s or hr]
= Instantaneous vehicle speed [m/s or km/hr]
= Tractive force [kN]
= Drivetrain efficiency
Page 7 of 15
 Table 2 - ICE Vehicles fuel consumption reduction based on
Body mass savings
For vehicle's given speed-time trace, or drive cycle, assuming
that the engine's specific fuel consumption and efficiency as a
function of load and speed are known, the key parameters that
affects the amount of energy output needed from the engine is
the amount of tractive or resistive forces the vehicle has to
overcome. The tractive force is the sum of tire rolling
resistance, acceleration or braking resistance, aerodynamic
drag and climbing resistance. For an accelerating vehicle on a
level road (with zero climbing resistance), as show in Figure
16, the total tractive force is: The previous chapter presented the Body Structure influence
on fuel consumption in a physical perspective. Besides that it
is important to understand how is the capacity of Body
Structure mass reduction into vehicle overall system, aiming
(3)
improve vehicle energy efficiency in terms of fuel
consumption. According to US Transportation Research Board
Where:
(2006) the vehicle energy flow is showed on Figure 17.
= Rolling resistance [N]
= Acceleration resistance [N]
= Aerodynamic drag [N]
= Rolling resistance coefficient
= Vehicle plus payload mass [kg]
= Gravitational acceleration [m/s2]
= Vehicle acceleration [m/s2]
= Drag Coefficient
= Air density [kg/m3]
= Vehicle frontal area [m2]
= Instantaneous vehicle speed [m/s]

Figure 16 - Forces on an accelerating vehicle on a level road
(Cheah )[15]
It's possible to notice that reducing vehicle's mass has a direct
impact on reducing the total of tractive force and thus the fuel
consumption, since mass appear in both the rolling and
acceleration component of the total resistive force.
4.1.2 - Body Structure contribution in a total
energy vehicle consumptions
Many studies have been done in order to correlate fuel
economy versus vehicle mass reduction. Table 2 shows some
references. Basically, for Internal Combust Engines (ICE),
there is a fuel economy improvement of about 5% for each
10% of vehicle mass reduction.
Figure 17 - Example energy flows for a late-model midsize
passenger car: (a) urban driving; (b) highway driving.
(US Transportation Research Board) [16]
According to Makino [17], the benefits of Body Structure
mass reduction may be much better when designed in the
beginning of product development. Figure 18 shows the
Secondary benefit of lightweight vehicle components. It is
possible to achieve a 30% mass reduction for the entire
vehicle body through a 15 to 20% mass reduction in the body
structures, a 5 to 10% mass reduction in the body sheet-metal
parts, and a 50% mass reduction in the trim, interior, and
functional parts.

Page 8 of 15
 MVehicle=1300kg
MBody= 40%. MVehicle= 520kg
MBodyNew= MBody - 25%=390kg

MVehicleNew=1170kg (Represents 10% of vehicle mass

reduction)

The inicial Energy Consumption (EC) was taken from the red
curve (Figure 20) which is an average of current brazilian
vehicle’s condition. All those datas were ploted on Figure 20
and the results are:

EC1=2.19 (MVehicle=1300kg)
EC1’=1.93 (Target of INOVAR Program for MVehicle=1300kg)
EC2=2.08 (MVehicle=1170kg)
EC3=1.85 (Target of INOVAR Program for MVehicle=1170kg)
D1=0.26 (Delta EC1 / EC1’)
D2=0.23 (Delta EC2 / EC3 )

Altougth EC3 target was not achieve by Body Structure mass

Figure 18 - Efficiency benefit sequence: Mass reduction of
passenger cabin and ripple effect will lead to greater fuel
efficiency and secondary mass reduction (Makino) [17]
reduction of 25%, it’s possible to notice on this simulation a
reduction of 11.6% of D2/D1 (Difference between Anfavea
reference from INOVAR target) - Figure 20.

4.1.3 - Direct contribution of Body Structure

mass reduction Fuel consumption
Since Body Structure represents around 40% of vehicle curb
mass (Figure 19), many studies have been done either by
OEM’s or researchers in order to reduce it.

Figure 20 - Mandatory and Bonus Curves with Mass

reduction Simulation

The stated INOVAR-AUTO curves have almost the same

angle of the contribution Body Structure mass reduction for
ICE Vehicles Energy Efficiency.
Figure 19 - Vehicle mass distribution by subsystem
(Volkswagen AG) [18]

Based on previous researches a Body Structure mass reduction

simulation was made in order to clarify the real direct
contribution of Body mass saving to achieve Energy
Efficiency INOVAR-AUTO targets. A vehicle with 1300kg
(40% of mass related to Body) with 25% of mass reduction
applied. The ratio of 5% of fuel consumption for each 10% of
mass saving (Table 2) was used. Figure 21 – Mass Reduction versus fuel economy angle
Page 9 of 15
Triangle from Figure 21b has some points which represent  Industrial validation: Industrial forming and assembly
Cartesian coordinates on graphic from Figure 20. Example sequences


A(1600 ; 2.10)=A(X ; Y)=(EC ; Mass).
Cost assessment.
4.2 - Body challenges: great solutions, low
Structural parts which have high potential to use lighter
cost and minimum impacts material (AHSS) are outlined on Figure 22.
The OEM’s are facing big challenge with INOVAR-AUTO
program, considering they will need to redesign their vehicles
lighter and cheaper to achieve company and government
targets. Some technologies are widely used, but in Brazil are
not explored because the high cost to manufacture the parts.
It’s known that the best solutions in mass saving are more
expensive alternatives in the market and in last year’s those
alternatives were not considered as an option to be used in
current vehicles. Now, it’s time to balance two points: the best
alternative and cost with a minimum impact to OEM’s and
supplier. An overview will be exposed about the mainly
solutions that are been developed in automotive industry,
considering materials and process.

4.2.1 – Materials
Body Structure parts must meet a large number of automotive
Figure 22 - Potential parts to use lighter materials in a
design constraints such as: weight reduction, visibility
typical class car (Karbasian; Tekkaya) [22]
improvement, low cost targets, short development time
management, etc. Some materials alternatives maybe used
aiming achieve those constrain like: Automotive High
Strength Steels (AHSS), Aluminum, Magnesium etc. The
expectation for next years, in Brazil, is an increase of those Table 3 - Summarized evaluation of lightweight automotive
kind of materials utilization due to INOVAR-AUTO program materials (Cheah) [15]
Energy Efficiency targets. According Baskin et al [21] with
the strategy for building lightweight automobile Body
Structures the material and it cost became a critical factor.
Expensive materials, such as Carbon Fiber Composites,
Aluminum, Magnesium and others must only be used where
they will be most effective. Each OEM’s has their own
expertise to know under various loading conditions if the
material has or not a potential opportunity for mass saving. It
is recommended that these advanced materials be used in
Body Structure components such as rails, sills, “A-B-C”
pillars, etc. All this “new” materials must attend some
automotive requirements such as:

 Crash assessment: Latin NCAP (future);

 Stiffness assessment: Static Stiffness (torsion &

flexion), modal analysis, door sagging;

 Forming feasibility: Finite element simulations for

formability assessment for cold and hot stamping; It’s known that Brazilian OEM’s might not adopt all the


materials technology that’s used around the world. First will
Assembly feasibility: Risk analysis of welding be filtered the materials who have economical and
combinations and tests on critical assemblies; manufacturing feasibility. In Brazil some specialists are
beating in many sheet grades such as AHSS and aluminum.
Certainly each one has some particular characteristic,
Page 10 of 15
advantages and challenges for using in national industry.
Table 3 shows advantages and challenger for AHSS,
Aluminum and Magnesium.
4.2.1.1 –AHSS
Nowadays there are many steel options for automotive
industry, the AHSS can by highlighted as a generation of steel
grades that provide high-strength and feasible formability
behavior. There is a high usage potential for AHSS by
Brazilian OEM’s due to the INOVAR-AUTO program.
The differential in AHSS, in comparison with mild steel
grades, is the combinations of material and mechanical
properties from the carefully selection of chemical
compositions submitted on controlled heating and cooling
process resulting a multiphase microstructures. Strengthening
mechanisms are used to achieve a range of strength, ductility,
toughness, and fatigue properties (Tamarelli)[23].
AHSS is much stronger than conventional low- to high-
strength steel, offering high work hardening and bake
hardening capabilities that allow increased formability and
opportunities for optimization of part geometries. It’s possible
to see in Figure 23 the Stress versus the elongation for
different steel types and their applications in body structure.
Withstand a certain Torsional and Bending Stiffness are core
targets performance for Body Structure because it is totally
related to vehicle handling, safety, noise, vibration and
harshness concerns. AHSS helps to increase strength and
decrease weight by using thinner material, but stiffness may
suffer as result of reduction of inertial section. This deficiency
may be easily solved on new vehicle development by the
increase of structural sections.
Figure 23 - Stress vs % Elongation in different steels
application (Tamarelli)[23]
Page 11 of 15
4.2.1.2 Aluminum
Aluminum has in the latest years becoming in highlight as a
very attractive material for lightweight applications. Widely is
common to see how the aluminum usage in automotive
vehicles has increased in manufacturers search for affordable
weight reduction applications. Although Brazil has the third
largest reserves of bauxite in the world (mineral where
aluminum is extracted), the use of the metal by the national
automotive industry is still low. Nowadays, the use of
aluminum in vehicles has been limited to components such as
wheels, casting rates, engine cylinder heads, and in some cases
the engine block. However, in the world there is a strong
tendency for the metal application items such as suspension,
Body Structure and exterior parts (hang-ons) such as doors,
hood and fenders. Studies show that the average aluminum
domestic cars do not reach 50 kg, compared to nearly 150 kg
in Europe and the USA. Aluminum density is 2.7 grams/cm3,
much lower than Mild Steel with 7.8 g/cm3.
An aluminum structure has several advantages over steel for
automotive applications, primarily due to its low density.
Higher torsional stiffness with reduced mass, NVH benefits
and vehicle dynamics can be attained with thoughtful design.
Aluminum has greater "specific energy absorption" than steel,
meaning that equivalent energy management performance can
be achieved with less weight than with traditional steel
construction. Automotive manufacturers, both current and
past, are using aluminum materials for Body Structure and
other large-scale structural applications.
The biggest constrain regarding Aluminum application is the
relative high price. Voz apud Lothar Werninghaus [24] stated
that obtain aluminum from nature is more expensive because
industrial process "demands more energy". The trend is use it
in higher value added vehicles. This fact explains the greater
aluminum participation in imported models, especially
Germans.
According to Voz apud Ayrton Silleti [24], aluminum
represented in 1970 (US and German market) only 2% in
vehicle weight, that increased to 3.9% in 1980, 5.1% in 1990,
6.9% in 2000 and 8.8% in 2010.
4.2.1.3 – Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the promising materials to be used in
light weighting vehicles. To construct designs with equal
stiffness, magnesium offers around 60% weight reduction over
steel and 20% weight reduction over aluminum. Its significant
mechanical behavior can be seen in Figure 24. More than
weigh reduction, magnesium offers strength, durability and
thermal stability. Looking ahead, the potential for greater
using of magnesium in vehicles applications exist. However,
some barriers can be mentioned as: corrosion and resistance
issues; wrought parts require costly hot forming; lack of
design experience and insecurity of supply (Cheah)[15].
 4.3 - Body manufacturing challenges
As described up to now, there are many alternatives and
technical solutions to mass reduction, but each of them
presents a specific bottlenecks.

The Body Structure is essentially made of stamped parts and

even more due to the environmental reasons, the automakers
are using sophisticated materials like high strength steel or
even multi-phase steel as well as aluminum are being taking
into account in new car manufacturing (Markus)[26].

To stamp these new materials more efforts within

Figure 24 - Weight/Equal mechanical resistance ratio
(França)[[25]
According to França [25] Brazilian market has an average
magnesium consumption automotive industry of about only
2.74 kg per vehicle comparing a global average of 4.40 kg per
vehicle.
The use of magnesium in Brazil was always very concentrated
in Volkswagen, but in recent years other manufacturers are
increasing interest in knowing and using this metal in its
components. A common domestic market used application is
the powertrain that should keep boosting the magnesium use
in the automotive industry. In the next 10 years, magnesium
alloys has an estimated annual average growth rate in at least
5.0 %, resulted by magnesium using in new application from
80 ton to 529 ton per year with annual growth rate of 20.8%,
the greater rate comparing other segments, showing
diversification in their applications.
manufacturing processes are required than conventional steel
sheets as they have been used in the Body Structure up to now.
New materials such as Advanced High Strength (AHSS) or
and the Multi-Phase Steel, for the same structural function,
requires less mass so that the thickness of the sheet metal can
be thinner, but on the other hand these materials become
harder and harder and require much higher energy to be
stamped and most of the times a non-conventional process
must be used, such as Press Hot Stamping. For this kind of
materials, a conventional part and manufacturing processes
engineering are not useful anymore (Markus)[26], (Mori)[27]
and (Stephens)[28].
Figure 25 show that higher the tensile strength, lower the
elongation, and consequently hard to bend.

Magnesium has been called by experts in materials as "the

metal of the future", and despite major advances the last years,
magnesium is still a little known metal by materials and
process engineers. This lack of information about magnesium
properties influences engineers choosing the most known
commodities as steel, iron, aluminum and plastic. Some future
national challenges to increase the use of magnesium is
increasing investment in R&D, gathering industry, universities
and research centers to develop new alloys with greater creep,
corrosion and friction resistance. At this way would be
possible provide: better know-how from magnesium industry
Figure 25 - Steel Matrix (Docol)[29]
to consumer industries; create technical cooperation programs
and sharing costs in the development; reduce time in project
For using AHSS, current die technology cannot be used any
development and prototypes manufacture for new
more, and the manufacturing process infra-structure as known
components; and keep magnesium market price stability,
up to now, will be drastically changed as shown on Figure 26.
maintaining magnesium alloys prices not 50% superior to
aluminum.

Page 12 of 15

Figure 26 - Die build Hours breakdown for Standard Steels
and AHSS – (Stephens)[28]-Modified
The higher impact, just taking into account the stamping die
technology, will be on die materials that have to be harder
than sheet metal and 3D machining will take much longer and
tools wearing will be faster and faster.
Table 4 - Tooling cost for AHSS (Stephens)[28]
As shown on Table 4, moving from standard mild steel to
AHSS will impact on technology, cost and also human
resource that would not be available as required.
In accordance with Chen and Huang [30] Magnesium alloy
sheet due to its lightweight and high specific strength,
magnesium-alloy can be used for structural components, in the
automotive industry. Current principal manufacturing process
has been high pressure die casting, but the press forming has
been considered through last year because of its potential
productivity and performance.
Wodall [31] stated that “…by 2020, magnesium will be able to
take out 15% of the weight of a vehicle, leading to fuel savings
of 9% to 12%…”.
Currently forming magnesium sheets into auto parts by
heating them to 842 °F (450 °C) is a slow process and still a
challenge for high production rate.
Page 13 of 15
Existing forming technology is not enough to produces car
body stamped parts at high production rate at a reasonable
cost, and also safety still a big concern due to its high
flammable property.
Magnesium sheet for stamping still have a big potential to be
used in large scale for car body weight reduction, but still far
from production, due to the available technology even for raw
material production or sheet metal stamping, and also there are
not enough suppliers to attend potential demand.
Nowadays, aluminum is after steel most common metal sheet
used for automotive stamped parts production.
Goto et al [32] stated that, for sustainability reasons, the
demand for aluminum to replace steel parts in auto body will
increase, due to its light weight and easy to recycle. However
Aluminum sheets are inferior in formability, more expensive
and there are no enough suppliers to attend such increasing
demand.
Beyond these individual alternatives for car body weight
reduction, there are other bottlenecks such joint (weld, clinch,
adhesive) between different materials like magnesium with
steel, magnesium with aluminum, aluminum with steel,
different sheet metal gauges and coatings, painting elements,
speed production, different materials scrap separation and
handling, and so on.
There are not raw material suppliers all over the world to
attend such demand, and also there are not enough die
designers and die makers with such new knowledge and
technology.
Table 5 - Summary of technology bottlenecks
As shown on Table 5, the potential is real, but not in a short
term. The tradeoff between high cost and weight reduction
with a high technology risk turn such alternatives into
prohibitive ones.
The INOVAR-AUTO, a Brazilian government industrial
development program is giving tax benefits to companies that
develop their activities locally, as described at the beginning
of this article, pushing the entire supply chain, so that for the
weight reduction, automakers cannot think only based on
technical and potential alternatives, but on entire development
chain, since the capacity of the suppliers in producing and
delivering raw materials and local know how to design and
produce such alternatives at proper cost, technology, speed
and safety.
SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS
INOVAR-AUTO Program targets were established based on
average of mass vs Energy Consumption. No benchmarking
was done by Brazilian government comparing current
Brazilian vehicles with other countries.
Regarding INOVAR-AUTO Program Energy Consumption,
the contribution of Body Structure mass reduction for Internal
Combustion Engines vehicles is not enough to achieve targets
because new Program establishes smaller Energy
Consumption for lighter vehicles.
Although only Body Structure mass reduction is not enough to
improve vehicle performance, it is totally necessary to allow
vehicle reconfiguration such as: Rolling resistance, Friction
Reduction and Engine technologies such as: Multiple valves,
Variable valve actuation, Engine downsizing, Start Stop
Systems. This new reconfiguration is a key Product
Engineering focus for current vehicles sold in Brazil.
Body Structure mass reduction requires new materials like
AHSS, Aluminum and Magnesium. Those kinds of materials
are widely used worldwide. Currently, either Brazil suppliers
or Brazil OEM’s manufactures have new material technology
bottlenecks such as: Die Design, Die Making Know How,
Stamping, Joint and Paint.
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