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Organizations Developing Methodology for Manufacturing Low-Mass Steel Fuel Tanks
08/02/2011 - The Strategic Alliance for Steel Fuel Tanks, in collaboration with the Auto/Steel Partnership and the United States Automotive Materials Partnership, plans to develop a methodology for producing lightweight sealed steel fuel tanks with 30 to 40% mass reductions compared with current-generation sealed steel tanks.
The Strategic Alliance for Steel Fuel Tanks (SASFT), in collaboration with the Auto/Steel Partnership and the United States Automotive Materials Partnership, plans to develop a methodology for producing lightweight sealed steel fuel tanks with 30 to 40% mass reductions compared with current-generation sealed steel tanks. The goal is to demonstrate the manufacturing feasibility of such tanks for plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the project will show that manufacturing approaches can be used with thinner high-strength steel and advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) to reduce mass and meet performance requirements associated with sealed systems, including structural integrity, fatigue, corrosion, durability, and crash integrity.
The project will use advanced computer forming methodologies and will be performed in two overlapping phases using the sealed fuel tanks from two current plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles as initial benchmarks.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the project will show that manufacturing approaches can be used with thinner high-strength steel and advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) to reduce mass and meet performance requirements associated with sealed systems, including structural integrity, fatigue, corrosion, durability, and crash integrity.
The project will use advanced computer forming methodologies and will be performed in two overlapping phases using the sealed fuel tanks from two current plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles as initial benchmarks.
“To provide a fuel tank in a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle that avoids vapor purging but accommodates high internal pressure buildup, current generation tanks are made of thick steel walls that can add unnecessary mass,” said Peter Mould, Program Manager for SASFT. “That’s why we will work to provide steel tanks with the same mechanical performance required for advanced hybrid vehicles that will have thinner walls, contributing directly to vehicle mass reduction and reduced fuel consumption.”
The Strategic Alliance for Fuel Tanks (SASFT) is an international alliance of companies specializing in the various areas of fuel-tank production possessing, a common interest in the development, optimization, and application of steel fuel tanks for automobiles. SASFT brings together the diverse business disciplines involved in designing, manufacturing, and supplying steel fuel tanks in the automotive market.
The Strategic Alliance for Fuel Tanks (SASFT) is an international alliance of companies specializing in the various areas of fuel-tank production possessing, a common interest in the development, optimization, and application of steel fuel tanks for automobiles. SASFT brings together the diverse business disciplines involved in designing, manufacturing, and supplying steel fuel tanks in the automotive market.
Strategic Alliance for Steel Fuel Tank Members:
- Aethra Sistemas Automotivos S.A.
- AK Steel Corp.
- Allgaier Automotive, GmbH
- ArcelorMittal Dofasco
- ArcelorMittal USA LLC
- Dong Hee Industrial Co., Ltd.
- Henkel Corp.
- JFE Steel
- Nippon Steel Corp.
- Nisshin Steel
- North American Stainless
- Nucor Corp.
- Posco
- Soutec
- Severstal North America Inc.
- Spectra Premium Industries
- Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
- ThyssenKrupp Steel USA LLC
- Unipart Eberspacher
- United States Steel Corp.
