Alcoa reports that its Alcoa Automotive Castings unit has been selected by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing America (HMMA) to supply cast aluminum, rear-upper control arms for the automaker’s all-new 2007 Santa Fe crossover vehicle. It will be the first placement for Alcoa with Hyundai Automotive.
Crossover vehicles are designed to incorporate the functionality of SUVs with the driving characteristics of mid-sized sedans. Hyundai’s 2007 Santa Fe made its North American debut at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. Vehicle assembly is due to begin the second quarter at HMMA’s new plant in Montgomery, AL.
ACC will manufacture the control arms at its Fruitport, MI, production center.
Misha Riveros-Jacobson, president of Alcoa Advanced Transportation Systems and Alcoa Automotive Castings explained that the control arms will be produced using Alcoa's vacuum riser-less and pressure riser-less (VRC/PRC) permanent-mold casting process, which he said “is a superior technology that produces high quality structural castings”
The VRC/PRC process produces higher mechanical properties compared to conventional permanent-mold processes, which allow for lighter designs that yield mass reductions of at least a 40% versus a fabricated steel design. VRC/PRC can also manufacture hollow designs for thin-walled castings, which allows an additional 30% reduction versus solid aluminum designs.
"Alcoa Automotive Castings is excited about the use of our products on a Hyundai key structural component and looks forward to strengthening our relationship in the future, " Riveros-Jacobson stated.