High-strength, low-carbon flat-rolled steel and aluminium-coated stainless steel producer AK Steel announced the launch of Nexmet, an “innovative family” of high-strength steels for use in automotive lightweighting applications.
The announcement in August identified the products as specifically designed to assist automotive original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to meet 2025 US Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets.
According to AK Steel, the Nexmet family of products will offer high strength, greater ductility (elongation), and improved formability solutions for a range of needs for structural and exterior automotive body lightweighting uses.
“We are excited about the opportunities Nexmet 440EX offers automotive designers in their efforts to lightweight vehicles,” says AK Steel CEO Roger Newport.
He adds that the product is yet another important part of AK Steel’s strategy to offer innovative products to its customers.
According to Newport, this new exposed surface quality product combines high yield and tensile strength at thinner gauges to facilitate designs that facilitate lightweighting, owing to enhanced performance where surface appearance and dent resistance are critical.
“AK Steel’s Nexmet 440EX is currently available and is being qualified by automotive OEMs as a steel solution for exposed body panel lightweighting needs.
AK Steel will launch its next- generation advanced high strength steel (AHSS) products, Nexmet 1000 and 1200, early next year, following completion of upgrades at AK Steel’s Dearborn Works hot dip galvanised line.
“These AHSS products will offer significantly improved ductility at tensile strengths of 1 000 MPa and 1 200 MPa, and will be used to help lightweight automotive body structures,” he concludes.
Edited by: Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features
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