Materials for lightweight tailgates

Alcoa, with help from DuPont, has developed a hybrid of aluminum and polymer materials that, along with new manufacturing and assembly processes, enables significant tailgate weight reduction without compromising performance.

Light-duty pickups are part of a growing truck segment of the U.S. automotive market. As with other road-vehicle segments, maximizing fuel economy by reducing weight is a vital effort in pickup design. Recent demographic shifts in truck-user population also have meant an increased interest in lighter weight tailgates for ergonomic reasons. Manufacturers have reached a limit for lightweight tailgates using conventional materials and manufacturing processes, according to engineers at Alcoa Inc. and DuPont Engineering Polymers. To overcome this, they have developed a new hybrid concept of aluminum and plastic composite materials incorporating new manufacturing and assembly processes.