@Charles: Yes, there is a Japanese patent (2010-254255) that covers this invention.
Interestingly enough, there is a U.S. patent (7,850,182), assigned to Hyundai, that covers something pretty similar, except that the extrusion has a double wall, and is formed in a different way. Hyundai presented their work at the SAE World Congress. I'm not sure whether this is currently being used on any Hyundai vehicles or not.
Hyundai had a lot of problems with corrosion on steel control arms a few years ago, so their interest in aluminum control arms is understandable. (Of course, aluminum is not immune to corrosion, either, as the Suzuki engineers found out!)
I wonder what the business implications of this are. Are any aspects of this technology patentable? Could Suzuki be seeing some licensing revenue on the horizon? With the 54.5-mpg mandate coming, I'm sure a lot of automakers would be interested.
@Charles: Actually, it weighs 50% less at an equal cost, compared to a welded steel part. The 30% figure is in comparison to an aluminum die casting, but the die casting is more expensive.
Unfortunately, the paper doesn't say the amount of weight saved, just the percentage reduction. The big deal, which I should have mentioned in the article, is that this is unsprung weight. Reductions in unsprung weight mean better ride quality in addition to better fuel economy.
By the way, if you want to know what the part looks like, it's part 16 in this diagram.
It's unfortunate that Suzuki made the decision to stop selling cars in the U.S., because the Kizashi is a pretty neat car. However, the authors indicated that this technology may find its way into Suzuki's ATVs and other vehicles.
What an amazing story. Too often, the best material innovations cost far too much and therefore never see the light of day. It seems hard to believe, but most automakers fight for pennies -- because by the time they build a million of one part, those pennies add up. It's startling to see a part that weighs 30% less at equal cost. Dave, any idea how many pounds are saved here?
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
3 
