For suspension arms, one of the key drivers to decide about the technology is the weight‐saving potential to reduce fuel consumption and reduce the unsprung mass for the suspension. This chapter shows the advantages and disadvantages of the different materials including their production technologies.
In the first part, a theoretical comparison of steel and aluminum is given. In the following part, different suspension types and suspension arms are introduced together with practical examples. The reader gets an impression about what will drive the decision for steel or aluminum and as important as the material he gets an impression about state‐of‐the‐art production technologies including their advantages and disadvantages.
In order to drive the decision for the right material and the right production process, the different requirements for suspension arms need to be respected. The main requirements for suspension arms are introduced and explained. On the basis of the requirements and the principal decision for steel or aluminum and sheet metal, cast, or forged solutions, the design process itself is quite important to come to a competitive suspension arm. A typical design process is introduced.
By the use of state‐of‐the‐art materials, production processes, and design processes, the weight of suspension arms can be reduced by up to 50%. This leads especially for bigger suspension arms like for pickup trucks and
SUVs
to more than 10 kg weight reduction per axle.
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