Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technology and Policy Program, February 2001.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2005
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8605 |
| _version_ | 1811083415548592128 |
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| author | Kelkar, Ashish S. (Ashish Sadashiv), 1974- |
| author2 | Joel P. Clark. |
| author_facet | Joel P. Clark. Kelkar, Ashish S. (Ashish Sadashiv), 1974- |
| author_sort | Kelkar, Ashish S. (Ashish Sadashiv), 1974- |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technology and Policy Program, February 2001. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:32:43Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/8605 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:32:43Z |
| publishDate | 2005 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/86052022-01-31T20:13:07Z Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry Kelkar, Ashish S. (Ashish Sadashiv), 1974- Joel P. Clark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Technology and Policy Program. Technology and Policy Program Technology and Policy Program. Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technology and Policy Program, February 2001. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-67). Although the use of Aluminum in cars has been increasing for the past two decades, there has been limited progress in the development of aluminum auto bodies. Although some carmakers have developed all aluminum spaceframe designs, aluminum is far from being a material of choice for autobodies. Most aluminum substitution has come in the form of castings and forgings in the transmission, wheels etc. The substitution of steel by aluminum is partly influenced by the regulatory pressures to meet fuel efficiency standards by lightweighting and recycling standards. The thesis looks at the possible reasons-both regulatory pressures and market forces as to why aluminum has been a part by part substitute for steel rather than for the entire autobody. The key obstacle is the high cost of primary aluminum as compared to steel. Both the aluminum and the automotive industries have made attempts in their respective areas to make aluminum a cost-effective alternative to steel. The thesis looks at the possible options for the aluminum industry in the current macroeconomic conditions including scale economies and cost analysis of newer rolling technologies. The thesis then analyzes the cost of fabrication and assembly of four different aluminum car body designs compared with the conventional steel designs. The cost of the car design depends on the how cost effective that the aluminum producers can be in producing the primary aluminum. We then attempt to analyze if the aluminum can be an alternative to steel at lower primary aluminum prices, if these can be feasible and the possible implications for the aluminum producers and the regulators. by Ashish S. Kelkar. S.M. 2005-08-23T21:39:18Z 2005-08-23T21:39:18Z 2000 2001 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8605 49340496 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 73 leaves 8439962 bytes 8439719 bytes application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Technology and Policy Program. Kelkar, Ashish S. (Ashish Sadashiv), 1974- Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| title | Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| title_full | Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| title_short | Analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| title_sort | analysis of aluminum in auto body designs and its strategic implications for the aluminum industry |
| topic | Technology and Policy Program. |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8605 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kelkarashishsashishsadashiv1974 analysisofaluminuminautobodydesignsanditsstrategicimplicationsforthealuminumindustry |