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A newly developed process allows the near-net shape fabrication of alumina/aluminum composite bodies via the immersion of a sacrificial oxide preform into a molten aluminum alloy bath. The resulting composite possesses an attractive range of properties for application in several automotive components. These properties include: high strength and stiffness, appreciable thermal and electrical conductivity, high strength at elevated temperatures, coefficient of thermal expansion of 10 X 10-6 C-1 and relative ease of machinability. Low cost fabrication renders this material/process ideal for components such as brake rotors and calipers, cylinder bore liners, piston components.

Looking for car weight reduction related to the use of High Strength Steels (HSS) for manufacturing body-in-white components, an innovative application of the high velocity forming techniques has been developed: the Electro Magnetic (EM) calibration and elimination of the spring-back effect (sidewall curl) of High Strength Steel U-channels. Within this paper the initial tests on L and U-shaped parts will be presented. Being the mechanical stiffness the main parameter for improving the coil endurance, the prediction of the coil strains under EM forces is a basic issue, which has been addressed within this study.