Advanced Automotive Steels-Their Development and Application in Australia

The unique structure of the Australian automotive industry of small volume, high consumer expectations and a large range of models have required special solutions in the advanced steel development program. Industry constraints have led to the need to rationalise the numbers of grades to ensure satisfactory production volume. The paper describes the development of a range of hot rolled, cold rolled and coated steels which have optimum formability to strength ratios, thus minimising the number of grade variations. Properties of these steels are given as well as a number of application case studies.