Honda develops new tech to join steel and aluminium

honda aluminium steel 1

Seems that the all-new Acura RLX features more new tech than just the Acura Precision All-Wheel Steer, Jewel Eye LED headlamps and the AcuraLink cloud-connected ICE system mentioned in the gallery post earlier in the week.

The car also features the first application of a new technology developed by Honda, one that marries steel and aluminium in a far easier and better manner, and the result can be found on the RLX’s door. In this case, Honda has come up with a new aluminium outer door panel – which has conventionally been made of steel – and joined it to a steel inner door panel.

honda aluminium steel 2

Anyone with a basic understanding of metallurgy will understand how pairing such dissimilar metals can be a bit of an arduous process. Here, in order to join the steel and aluminium, the company has incorporated several different technologies, including those to prevent corrosion (electrical corrosion) and thermal deformation caused by the different expansion rates of steel and aluminium.

Core tech that has enabled adoption of aluminium for the outer door panel includes a ‘3D Lock Seam’ (3DLS) structure, where the steel panel and aluminium panel are layered and hemmed together twice.

Also on, highly anti-corrosive steel for the inner panel, and a new form that assures the complete filling of the gap with adhesive agent. As for the adhesive, that’s new too, and the composition has a low elastic modulus (translating to a better ability to ‘stretch’), allowing it to work well with the 3D Lock Seam.

The new technologies eliminate the spot welding process required to join conventional steel door panels, and also translate into weight savings – the RLX’s door panel is 17% lighter than it would be if it were a conventional all-steel structure.

In addition, the weight reduction at the outer side of the vehicle body concentrates the point of gravity further toward the centre of the vehicle, contributing to improved stability in vehicle manoeuvring. Honda of course has plans to expand the newfound application to other models.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

Certified Pre-Owned - 1 Year Warranty

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • AVH® on Feb 22, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    I honestly cannot understand a word they are saying or trying to describe. But it seems they are going into Aluminium technology. Not bad, at least is a step forward in terms of material technology.

    But does this improves the NVH. Being a Honda guy, I can happily agree that it’s one of the worse. But still, better than the locals.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 5
    • Don’t think it’ll help on NVH directly. But the reduced weight means that Honda can stuff more noise absorbers into the car.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Sam Loo on Feb 25, 2013 at 9:55 am

        Honda RV is bad because they make tin cans. Look and learn how Toyota make body panels. Then you can reduce deaths on the road. Many of my customers complain City body so lembik.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Cannot agree with u more… Honda builds good engines… good drivetrain… but seems like they don’t care about NVH… just compare a Civic to an Altis… u will notice it…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • ok, you confirm my thought. took a ride in my friends accord the other day. expectation was high. disappointed. but just kept quiet as dont want to be rude. anyway, maybe NVH is not where honda shines

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Layman terms – Glue and fold.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • AVH® on Feb 22, 2013 at 8:52 pm

      So basically the same process as making a Katana sword….taking two metals, fold it and heat and compress multiple time until both metals compresses together forming a dense metal , and repeat it until the maker is satisfied……correct?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 8
      • Hahah… No AVH is not like katana sword making. That one increases the strength of the material, in the Honda case, their aim is to assemble 2 different material into 1 unit.

        Like the door frame you see up there. The bone inner is steel, the outer skin is aluminium. Since aluminium cannot be welded to steel (weld wil not be strong enough), they have came up with the alternative method, which is glueing the both piece at the end, and fold the end. (But of course they can use screws to hold it together but weight will increase and it’ll be ugly)

        Glue is just to make it stick together, the gem is the fold, whereby it creates a hook joint that makes both pieces hook together. It is of course by no means, easy. It looks easy but there are other issues to it, hopefully Honda covered all of them.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • nanashishan on Feb 23, 2013 at 9:08 am

        Katana sword process involved additional heat element while this 3D lock seam method don’t. basically what Name called it is correct. You will get clear picture if you zoom in the door frame picture. Conventional is fold and spot weld in layman terms.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • AVH® on Feb 23, 2013 at 2:09 pm

        Thanks guys, I got a better info now. When I heard fold, I immediately thought it was the same used in Katana sword making.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo on Feb 22, 2013 at 10:12 pm

    Not easy to join 2 different metals without a bi-metalic joint that does not corrode due to potential difference. Go back to school chemistry if you can’t remember

    All aluminium along will not be strong enough for structural components.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
  • naruto on Feb 22, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    why no nano tech used in auto makers?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • driver on Feb 23, 2013 at 1:54 am

      Good thought. however, current level of nanotech is still immature. we mostly use it for coating stuff. there’s still a lot that we don’t understand and what’s more to be implemented in automotive industry. But everybody’s heading that direction. It’s just a matter of who gets there first.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Dr Cooper on Feb 23, 2013 at 1:28 pm

      In automotive, we actually do use nano tech on research level (called tribology) for developing nano-lubricant also find low weight material with low wear mast rate and hi friction resistant so engine could be resized smaller

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kalun on Feb 22, 2013 at 10:46 pm

    Honda is always known for this!
    New technology, new evolution of cars.
    VTEC, Hybrid, SH-AWD and this alumi-steel hybrid.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Cosmo Artemis on Feb 25, 2013 at 1:14 pm

      This is not a new technology; people know for ages of the difficulties to ‘stick’ two different type of material. Steel is a ferrous material, whilst aluminium is non-ferrous. It is impossible to weld/joint together by conventional welding due to different molecular structure. It is like adding gravel into sand and hoping it will dissolve together. No it can’t. I can see that they improve the bonding by ‘clipping’ at the other end

      Now, try to bond a rubber to aluminium/steel!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • does a lighter door means its closing sound more ‘cheap’ ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • No. The contributing factor for the ‘thud’ sound you see lies in the hinge, sealing of the door and the quality of assembly of the door unit.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • otakudang on Feb 22, 2013 at 11:27 pm

    less people interested in educative post..all they want, when they close the door, it “thuds”.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
  • Wow, Rust-Proof Exterior!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • armandd on Feb 23, 2013 at 12:11 am

    Nice tech. But when it comes to accident repairs…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Ajo haters on Feb 23, 2013 at 7:35 am

      Change the whole panel la…. Sometimes cheaper and easier than repair

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Biscuit on Feb 23, 2013 at 11:37 am

      emmmmm…no need to repair, replace with a new door, just like a computer/handphone/tab. .once rosak..they said get a new board….clever…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Carl Wong on Feb 23, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    Need some time to digest this but as usual Honda is so innovative with new technologies :)………!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sorchai on Feb 23, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    Ei…this one old tech lah.

    My friend’s Wira outer door panel was replaced with acrylic (by himself) after an accident. Don’t know how he did it. But effect was cool. A transparent cover, ding-proof and rust proof (a thing that P1 Wira always has).
    Best thing was you can see how all the mechanism inside works (or not work for the power windows).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6
  • Ah Beng on Feb 23, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    When will potong make use of this process instead of using Milo tin?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
    • Cosmo Artemis on Feb 25, 2013 at 1:08 pm

      You don’t learn physics in school sir?

      Remember momentum?

      Force = mass x acceleration

      The impact will be lower if you REDUCE weight and REDUCE TIME of impact. How you do that? Use lighter material (easy to crumple, but increase the time)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Ah Beng on Feb 26, 2013 at 2:12 am

        So according to your theory, car makers should follow potong and make use of Milo tin to make their cars safer?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • This must be using roller hemming i guess, instead of press hemming..or how do u achieve that ‘fold’ in a good quality..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Viswa Kalainesan on Feb 24, 2013 at 7:01 am

    I hope it will be easy to replace. I wouldn’t want to pay a repair cost which equals to the price of a premium-spec Preve.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required