Honda Develops New Technology to Weld Together Steel and Aluminum

[hornytoad]

TOKYO, Japan, September 6, 2012 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it has newly developed a technology for the continuous welding of the dissimilar metals of steel and aluminum and applied it for the first time in the world to the subframe of a mass-production vehicle, a key component of a vehicle body frame. Honda will adopt this technology first to the North American version of the all-new 2013 Accord, which will go on sale in the United States on September 19, 2012, and will expand application sequentially to other models.

September 6, 2012 "Honda Develops New Technology to Weld Together Steel and Aluminum "

[GreyGhost12]

As I've said before, Watch what Honda (and Toyota) will be implimenting and showing the world in the next 5-6 years. It will have most people scratching their heads. Yes, they may appear to be losing it and slipping in the last 2 years or so but seriously, watch out!

[Aeroscout977]

This type of technology already exist on a large industrial scale via friction welding. Not sure how Honda accomplished this on such a small scale but it's very interesting. They're usually very good about thinking outside of the box. Which is one reason why I've always loved them.


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[MTD]

Great news. Now they just need to apply these advancements in technology into a vehicle that doesn't screem bland and boring.

Honda has always been a leader, but lately it seems that the bean counters have taken over the company and all their fantastic cars from the past 20 years are gone and replaced by appliances. The Euro market gets a much better looking Civic with an R-Type and diesel options, a compact accord and wagon, while we get overpriced Acuras and underwhelming Civics.

Front engine, rwd, V6. S3000. An Si with decent power or an R-Type. A CRZ with a real motor.

Hyundai might still be behind in technology and refinement, but the vehicles are much more exciting.

[GreyGhost12]

An S3500 would kick some serious tail, so would a CRZ with a K24 with 300 whp! Both can be tuned to have exceptional fuel economy while cranking out some seriously fun power. I don't know why they haven't at least made a limited production run of either or both. They'd all sell out for sure if they were concieved.

[Aeroscout977]

I'd love to get ahold of the 2.2 in the Mugen RR Advance. Their cars have been boring as of late but hot damn they make great engines.

[hornytoad]

As I've said before, Watch what Honda (and Toyota) will be implimenting and showing the world in the next 5-6 years. It will have most people scratching their heads. Yes, they may appear to be losing it and slipping in the last 2 years or so but seriously, watch out!

you seem quite knowledgeable about this kinda stuff, at least waaay more than me. I'm wondering though, what about galvanic corrosion, especially on cars that are in the snow belt areas where they use a lot of salt?

[Aeroscout977]

How long until joe blow is running full carbon monocoque chassis!?


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[captainofiron]

You can do this also through explosion welding, but considering how bad of a galvanic couple those 2 would be (even considering the most electro-positive aluminum and most electro-negative steel). Corrosion would be a major issue, not to mention thermal cycling due to differing thermal expansion characteristics.

Very interesting though

[sn4cktime]

Steel and aluminum don't need to be welded together for galvanic corrosion to be an issue. Simply touching in a bolt together situation, folded together as sheet metal, or even just being close can lead to g-corrosion. Is still very neat to see them welded in this manner though. It could also be accomplished with a braze weld (brass filler), but would be nowhere near as strong a connection.


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[Aeroscout977]

I believe they used galvanized steel which will help. They wouldn't put it into development if they didn't have a way around it.


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[captainofiron]

I dont think they would use a galvanized steel, because then you have the aluminum attacking the anodic protective coating (usually tin) and if you are a welder like your avi suggests, you know what corrosion inside of a heat affected zone will cause. stress corrosion cracking.

There doesnt necessarily have to be a "way around it" everything has a design life, and their engineers (and bean counters or lawyers) have probably figured out a way to put that design life beyond the life of the car's warranty

still very interesting. I could see the potential benefits, lightweight parts with hard wear resistant surfaces. kinda like carburizing a part

[viaus volester]

i worked in a body shop for years and remember replacing many, many, rear bumper Assemblies on old mid seventy olds Buick and Chevy rear bumpers that had aluminum rear reinforcements on the chrome bumpers and remember seeing many of those cars running around with there bumpers falling off

[Aeroscout977]

I'd imagine they will run sacrificial anodes.


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[captainofiron]

i worked in a body shop for years and remember replacing many, many, rear bumper Assemblies on old mid seventy olds Buick and Chevy rear bumpers that had aluminum rear reinforcements on the chrome bumpers and remember seeing many of those cars running around with there bumpers falling off

the aluminum crumple zones were usually anodized

[Aeroscout977]

Not anodizing. It's basically a zinc or mag strip added


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[BluMeanie]

Coatings.

It is all in the Coating (Read: "Paint") covering the bare metal, after welding.

That is the "secret ingredient".