Screening of Available Hollow Structures in Regard to Noise Reduction in Automobile Applications

Abstract

The pressure to improve the efficiency of lightweight automobile concepts is permanent. Therefore, relevant automotive structural materials are progressively being optimized, with some materials seeming to have nearly reached their properties limits. Thus, slight improvements to their potential light weight can only be realized through considerable efforts.

In the recent past, materials with controllable porosity were proposed to open new light weight potential by reducing density. This chapter gives an overview on discussed metallic hollow structures and their evaluation in regard to automobile applications, using the criteria mechanical properties and processability. Due to acoustic properties becoming an evermore issue in cars of the future, this chapter concentrates on their evaluation.

Let us first look at possible ways in which to improve the acoustic properties of a component by selecting materials that are more effective than the most commonly used ones in automobile production, high strength steel.