2nd international automobile conference impresses with top-quality content

On February 9th and 10th, over 130 scientists and experts from the automobile and component supply industry met at the 2nd international automobile conference at the Fronius production and logistics site in Sattledt. High-calibre speakers gave 13 presentations in which they revealed facts and their visions about materials and joining technology for the lightweight construction of automobiles.

If the forecast of Prof. Dr. Thomas Tröster from Paderborn University becomes a reality, the lightweight body of tomorrow will focus on saving limited resources and energy and on reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, the presence of hybrid materials will mean that only a consistent selection of materials and the use of manufacturing and joining methods, some of which have not been developed yet, will be able to satisfy the high standards. Christian Walch of voestalpine is convinced that high-strength multiphase AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steel) steels, with their variable yield points of up to 1200 MPa (up to 1500 MPa if press-hardened), will have a significant role to play.

Dr. Helmut Kaufmann from AMAG Austria Metall believes aluminium will become very important in body construction, particularly environmentally-friendly aluminium products made primarily from scrap and heat-treated or hot-formed aluminium alloys. Alois Lang from BMW sees a new development: magnesium of the same strength as aluminium is nevertheless much lighter, has good damping properties, is plentiful and lends itself well to recycling. Using the Cold Metal Transfer process from Fronius, BMW is already able to weld magnesium components under production conditions and achieve reproducible results.

Representatives from Audi, Daimler, Hyundai, Jaguar and Magna Steyr addressed trends in automotive engineering, particularly the joining methods employed. Dr. Gerson Meschut from Bölhoff examined innovative bonding techniques for joining dissimilar materials. Prof. Dr. Young Whan Park from Pukyong University in Korea looked to the future with the DeltaSpot resistance spot welding process. Michael Schnick of the TU Dresden unveiled the latest findings in the simulation of arc processes.

A rather unusual presentation on the first day of the conference received a standing ovation: Hans Kammerlander, the extreme mountaineer from South Tyrol, transported delegates to the highest mountains in the world.