MAGNESIUM: The Lightest Structural Metal in … ! HEALTHCARE ! PROTECTION ENVIRONMENTAL ! SPECIALITY ! HEALTHCARE ! PROTECTION ! SPECIALITY MAGNESIUM: The Lightest Structural ... ENVIRONMENTAL

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MAGNESIUM: The Lightest Structural

Metal in Automotive Martyn Alderman

24th April 2013

CONFIDENTIAL - © Magnesium Elektron 2013

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AGENDA

Cost, Corrosion, Capacity…..

• Global Supply • Current Applications •  Lowering Cost •  Joining and Corrosion •  Future Applications



Global Metal Production



Magnesium Applications Volume

Source: DLR from IMA statistics 2010



•  257,000 tpa in die castings •  Unpainted

–  BMW 6 cylinder engine block & Daimler 7Gtronic transmission

–  Engine covers, IP beams: Mini/Range Rover, many steering column and seat parts

•  Limited number painted die castings –  Ford F150 radiator, Jeep Wrangler spare

tyre support, Jaguar XJ FE carrier –  Porsche Panamera window surround –  Mercedes E-class, Lincoln MKT tailgate,

•  Few sheet parts –  Porsche Carrera GT Console –  Cadillac CTS decklid stiffener

Automotive Applications Overview

Source: Porsche



Magnesium Die Cast hang-on parts

Source: Meridian & Georg Fischer

Lincoln MKT tailgate

Porsche Panamera window frame



Hot formed components in AZ31B Sheet

Bulkhead component produced by Superform using Magnesium Elektron AZ31B sheet


A GM R&D researcher said “ We subjected the Magnesium Trunk-Lid to the most severe strength and corrosion tests we know of, and it passed with flying colours”


Magnesium sheet in early automotive history

1957 Corvette SS

1951 Buick Le Sabre Dream

1935 Bugatti Type 57SC



Is cost a real factor?

–  most comparisons are per kg/lb but most applications are volume related – you get 50% more components with Mg (36% more for stiffness)

–  China the dominant supplier – prices stable since Beijing Olympics in 2008 at ~ 1.36x Al price per tonne

–  imported Chinese magnesium is subject to US Anti Dumping Duty – US magnesium prices are $ 0.58c lb higher than European (Platts Weekly: March 22nd2013 EU $1.42lb vs. $2.00 US die cast alloy)

–  Current rolling capacity is seriously underutilized so per lb/kg price carries high overhead recovery

•  SZMT ( Salzgitter Magnesium Technology) exited the business in 2010 due to lack of volume in spite of having a 2 metre wide modern plate mill

–  If sheet is so expensive then is twin roll casting the answer? •  Strip casting economics improve as coil gets thinner (but TRC cannot cover the

whole size range or achieve plate properties)



Magnesium Flat Rolled Production Routes DC cast slab – hot BD mill - warm coil mill

–  Supplier : Magnesium Elektron NA, Madison, IL –  Capacity > 10,000 tpa –  Slab thicknesses 350 - 500mm (14 – 20”) –  Capability – up to 150mm (6”) thick plate, coil down to 0.25mm –  Widths up to 1800mm (72”)



Magnesium Flat Rolled Production Routes

Twin roll cast coil - warm coil mill –  Supplier : Posco, Suncheon, South Korea –  Capacity 3,000 tpa –  Capability – up to 4.3 mm thick coil down to 0.3mm(0.011”) –  Widths up to 550mm (21.5”) currently – 2000mm wide caster

commissioned – rolling mill yet to be installed



Magnesium Flat Rolled Production Routes

Twin roll cast coil - warm coil mill –  Supplier : Thyssen Krupp MgF –  Capacity : unknown – TU Freiberg –  Capability – up to 5.0 mm(0.2”) thick coil down to 0.8mm(0.031”) –  Widths up to 720mm ( 28.3”) currently

Schematic from



Future Flat Rolled Market Development

Volu

me

Value added

Automotive

Truck/ Trailer

Rail Aerospace commodity

e.g. A/C interiors

Aerospace -structural

Armor Space

TRC

DC



Weight Down

10%

Weight 22.5 kg

Mg Die-Casting

5.02㎏ 2.51㎏

Weight 19.5kg

Mg sheet

Weight 24kg

Seat structure with Steel

Weight Down

20%

Low fracture toughness because of Internal defect(vacancy, micro crack etc.)

Fine grainsize High strength Uniform quality

Automotive seat – flat rolled & stamped

Source: Posco



Joining and corrosion – design issues •  Mg is more anodic than other structural metals and will therefore corrode in

preference in a galvanic couple –  Requires electrical contact of dissimilar metals in a wet environment

•  Plain sheet corrosion rates are lower than plain mild steel – but both corrode without an effective coating system

•  Mg coating systems either based on non-chrome conversion coat or plasma type anodising systems ( e.g. Magoxid®, Keronite®, Tagnite®) plus conventional powder/e-coat

•  Care in joint design is required to avoid trapped moisture and to insulate against galvanic effects



Case Study: Mercedes E-class tailgate


Source: Daimler AG


Mercedes E-class : galvanic couples


Source: Daimler AG - GKSS


Lessons from Daimler


Source: Daimler AG - GKSS


TSB funded programme

Two year TSB funded programme for £ 1.4 million •  Nov 2011- October 2013

•  Magnesium Intensive Vehicle in chassis •  Large SPF panels •  Magnesium extrusions in non crash

sensitive areas

•  Partners •  Morgan Motor Company – lead partner •  PENSO •  Superform •  Magnesium Elektron •  Coventry University



Porsche Panamera

Source: Georg Fischer



USAMP 2020 Road Map Vision

Source: www.uscar.org

4.5kg/10lb : 2005 173kg/350lb: 2020



Magnesium Intensive Structures

•  Light weighting important in meeting CAFE & European CO2 standards ...even more so if taking into account HEV or EV

construction with limited battery capacity •  Magnesium offers advantages in:

•  Cast power train, internal steering & seating parts •  Unsprung mass e.g. road wheels & steering arms •  Weight distribution e.g. roof and front end of rear wheel drive

vehicles •  Cost is often cited but volume applications can reduce costs(as in die

casting) …..the challenge is whether joining and corrosion issues can be addressed to allow wider use of wrought products in exposed structures?

•  Magnesium Elektron & Posco are collaborating on these issues, lots of good work has already been done in Germany…..


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MAGNESIUM: The Lightest Structural Metal in … ! HEALTHCARE ! PROTECTION ENVIRONMENTAL ! SPECIALITY ! HEALTHCARE ! PROTECTION ! SPECIALITY MAGNESIUM: The Lightest Structural ... ENVIRONMENTAL