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Aluminum and polymer composites have long been considered the materials of choice for achieving mass reduction in automotive structures. As consumer and government demand for mass reduction grows, the use of these materials, which have traditionally been more expensive than the incumbent steel, becomes more likely. In response to this growing challenge, the international steel community has joined forces to develop the Ultra Light Steel Auto Body (ULSAB). The resulting design saves mass and increases performance relative to current steel unibodies. Although mass savings are not as dramatic as those achieved by alternative materials, this design offers the potential to be accompanied by a manufacturing cost reduction. The projected manufacturing piece and investment cost for the ULSAB are investigated using technical cost modeling. The results presented here examine the elements that contribute to the cost, including treatments for stamping, hydroforming, assembly and purchased parts.

Following the success of the UltraLight Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) in 1997, the UltraLight Steel Auto Closure (ULSAC) Consortium representing steel producers from all over the world was founded. Porsche Engineering Services, Inc. (PES) was commissioned to conduct a concept study for the development of UltraLight Steel Auto Closure concept designs for all types of automotive closures that were structurally sound at affordable cost. The Validation Phase began in November 1998. In spring 2000, the ULSAC DH Door Structures featuring stamped Door Outer Panels were built and tested for structural performance, dent resistance and oil canning. The tested doors show state-of-the-art structural performance compared to today's frameless door structures, and the mass reduction ranges from 22 to 42% compared to the normalized mass of benchmarked doors. In the Validation Phase, a cost model was developed and the cost to produce the ULSAC frameless door structure was calculated.