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SMDI, Partners Kick Off Second Steel Wheels Design Competition

10/12/2010 - The Steel Market Development Institute's Wheels Task Force has kicked off a competition for transportation design students to develop conceptual luxury wheels that celebrate steel.

Member Companies of AISI's Steel Wheels Task Force
           
 - Accuride Corp.
 - AK Steel Corp.
 - ArcelorMittal Dofasco
 - ArcelorMittal USA
 - Chrysler Group
 - Ford Motor Co.
 - General Motors Co. LLC
 - Hayes Lemmerz International
 - Hess Industries, Inc.
 - Lacks Wheel Trim Systems
 - Maxion-Fumagalli Wheels
 - Nucor Corp.
 - PPG Industries Inc.
 - Severstal North America Inc.
 - Topy America, Inc.
 - United States Steel Corp.
The Steel Market Development Institute's (SMDI) Wheels Task Force kicked off this week a steel wheel competition for transportation design students to develop conceptual luxury wheels that celebrate steel. The competition is being launched in partnership with Southfield, Mich.-based Lawrence Technological University (LTU) and Michelin.

 
“Working directly with steel industry experts, automakers and wheel manufacturers, the students will gain real-world experience, while learning to communicate to consumers a more accurate performance and appearance perception for steel relative to aluminum,” said Ron Krupitzer, Vice President of Automotive Applications for SMDI. “This project gives students a solid step in preparing for their future careers, demonstrates the benefits of steel wheels and provides steel wheel manufacturers with competitive designs that can help increase their market share.”
 
The Lawrence Technological University steel wheels project will highlight the significant gains steel wheels are achieving with automakers through innovative styling, higher profit margins, lower warranty costs, competitive weight and superior durability.
 
The project is integrated into the LTU curriculum and presents student designers with an opportunity to influence the growing automotive styled steel wheel market. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors from LTU's transportation design department will participate in the challenge to develop two steel wheel concepts for the luxury market based on ongoing LTU OEM projects or vehicles already on the road.
 
Students will be eligible to win one of three scholarship prizes ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. Awards will be based on several criteria including material celebration; changing customer perception by communicating environmental issues and performance; creativity through a unique and innovative design that maintains functionality; and an executed design concept that complements the vehicle's aesthetics.  
 
Throughout the competition, students will be provided with insight into the technology and background surrounding the design challenge, including direct support from Todd Fletcher of Maxion-Fumagalli Wheels and Brian Clauw of Wheels and Wheel Trim for General Motors Company LLC.
 
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), grows and maintains the use of steel through strategies that promote cost-effective solutions in the automotive, construction and container markets, as well as for new-growth opportunities in non-traditional steel markets. The Automotive Applications Council is a part of the SMDI and focuses on advancing the use of steel in the highly competitive automotive market.