GM Ready to Deploy Steel-to-Aluminum Welding Technology
06/10/2016 - General Motors said it will begin using a new process to spot weld steel to aluminum on production of the Cadillac CT6 later this year.
According to The Detroit News, GM will apply the technology to seatbacks on the luxury vehicle, and, later, on a hood reinforcement. The car is built at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant.
The technique does away with the need to rivet parts, according to The Detroit News, so it is less expensive and reduces the number of parts.
According to SAE International, the new process could eliminate up to 10 pounds worth of rivets on some vehicles.
“Advanced joining techniques for the CT6, which employs 11 different materials in the body structure, already have eliminated more than 1,400 rivets, which in aggregate add incremental weight and cost,” according to SAE.
In fact, eliminating rivets could save GM upwards of US$100 per vehicle, according to Forbes.
The technique does away with the need to rivet parts, according to The Detroit News, so it is less expensive and reduces the number of parts.
According to SAE International, the new process could eliminate up to 10 pounds worth of rivets on some vehicles.
“Advanced joining techniques for the CT6, which employs 11 different materials in the body structure, already have eliminated more than 1,400 rivets, which in aggregate add incremental weight and cost,” according to SAE.
In fact, eliminating rivets could save GM upwards of US$100 per vehicle, according to Forbes.
