WALL STREET JOURNAL — Engineers with Voestalpine AG, Europe's third largest steelmaker, are working to find ways to fuse steel and aluminum alloys, which would be a game changer for OEMs and the collision repair market, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal by John W. Miller.
Voestalpine's process — cold metal transfer — is both difficult and expensive, but has caught the attention of OEMs looking to make lighter vehicles that meet stricter fuel economy regulations.
But the end game could be huge for OEMs, allowing them to offer parts that boast aluminum's light weight and steel's strength. The challenge to collision repair shops would be the immediate need for training and equipment that can make the welds on these hybrid parts. Continue reading here.
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