Publications
Explore our insights on material advancements in the transportation business.
Light Duty Vehicle Market
Featured Publications // See All >
The Value Proposition for Lightweighting in Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) and electrification of transportation in general are topics that dominate news outlets, magazines, and social media. OEMs,
Reducing the Cost of Aluminum Car Doors with Tailor-Welded Blanks
In automotive engineering, material selection is not a static activity. A decision made on today’s model could be reversed on
The Potential for Magnesium Forgings in Automotive
In the world of product development, many materials are available to pick from, yet companies tend to play to their
The Need for Integrated Joining Solutions for Automotive Extrusions
Vehicle construction has always been a multi-material story. Instrument panels are comprised of plastic, foam, and metal, while seats are
Light Minded by Kim Phelan
The complexities of designing, developing, casting and post-processing an automotive component are much like the making of music—a collaborative, harmonious
Heavy Duty Vehicle Market
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New Extrusion Applications in Commercial Vehicles
Commercial vehicles have one key difference from passenger cars. They are a tool to do work and are, therefore, specified
The Importance of Lightweighting in Commercial Trucking
Commercial trucking is the backbone on which North American shipping and distribution relies. Nearly every product on store shelves or
Wear Evaluation of Niobium-Added Cast Iron for Brake Disc and Drum Applications
SAE Technical Paper 2020-01-1627, October 2020, co-authored with CBMM, Leal Consulting, and Metaprol. DOWNLOAD FREE COPY
Lightweighting Confidence Report
NACFE is a non-biased source for trucking technologies that improve freight efficiency, reduce fuel and emissions. The Lightweighting Confidence Report
Patents
Method of Manufacturing a Metal Matrix Composite
Lightweight Brake Drum for Class 8 Truck & Trailer
United States 9,145,938
Co-inventors: T. Wood, N. Anderson
Assignee is Gunite Corporation
Overview of This MMC Brake Drum
Summary of Preform-Based MMC Brakes:
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
|
Rust-free |
Cost |
|
Long life |
Requires custom friction material |
|
Low Dust |
Completely new supply chain |
|
Lightweight |
Limited data on public roads |
|
Thermal Conductivity |
Limited thermal capacity |