Steel Fights Back With Ultra HSS

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – In its ongoing battle with aluminum for automotive components, steel is fighting back with ultra-lightweight steel.

Although he won’t say how much lighter the new alloy is vs. existing high-strength steel (HSS), Eric Petersen, vice president-research and innovation at AK Steel, says his company has potential customers for the ultra-HSS it will produce at its Dearborn, MI, operations late next year for delivery in 2017.

AK is investing $29 million in the Dearborn plant to manufacture the next-generation HSS, Petersen says following a presentation here at the Management Briefing Seminars.

HSS already has made substantial weight savings. Petersen cites a study of a ʼ94 Ford Taurus showing a 30% reduction in weight if it were built using today’s more advanced HSS.

Ultra-HSS developed by AK involves new process technology for thermal profiling, Petersen says.

Steelmakers aren’t sitting by while aluminum snatches more automotive market share, the AK Steel executive says.

“Steel continues to innovate and provide economic solutions,” Petersen says. “Since 2000, we’ve gone from 100 grades to more than 250, so we’re optimistic about the future.”

Part of his bullishness stems from the continuing rise in sales of SUVs and pickups, which use high volumes of steel and now account for more than 50% of U.S. light-vehicle output.