Aluminum in the automotive sector

Aluminum in the automotive sector: less weight is more efficiency

If chassis components such as steering knuckles, suspension arms or wheel carriers are made of aluminum, weight is saved. 100 kilograms less weight means 0.3 to 0.4 liters less fuel consumption per 100 kilometers.

The formula for success is simple: less weight = less energy usage = less fuel and emissions.

But with the changeover to materials such as forged aluminum wrought alloys, the challenges in machining components are also changing. Aluminum alloys require different machining strategies compared to cast iron or steel. The quality of the cutting tools and the right technology are key.

Walter has a concept for this: hybrid tools. Hybrid means that one tool combines different types of tools like indexable drilling and PCD fine-boring. With a hybrid drilling tool, for example, several machining steps are machined economically and reliably on one bore.