Aluminum is a versatile metal that has a significant impact on nearly every industry in the global economy. This is especially true for transportation. If you use a vehicle to get from one place to another, aluminum plays a role in making it possible.
As concerns grow about climate change and rising greenhouse gas levels, the transportation industry faces increasing scrutiny for its impact on global warming. That’s why manufacturers are looking for lightweight, efficient and clean solutions to make transportation more sustainable. The use of aluminum in the transportation industry continues to increase over time.
Aluminum applications in automobile manufacturing
The average person might be surprised to find out how much aluminum is in their cars and trucks. This is because when most people think of aluminum, the first thing that comes to mind is beverage cans or aluminum foil, both of which are very light and easily crushed. This doesn't seem like the kind of material you'd want your vehicle to be made of.
But the truth is, the same properties that apply to aluminum cans are what make it an ideal solution for modern transportation. Aluminum is favored by manufacturers and designers for its high strength-to-weight ratio, good corrosion resistance, and durability.
Aluminum is also impact-resistant, capable of absorbing kinetic energy in a collision. The ability to reduce weight by half while maintaining safety levels has made aluminum an important material for most automotive companies. A lighter car is a more fuel-efficient car; this allows weight reduction in many key systems in the vehicle, including the engine, transmission, suspension, etc. Today, everything from engine blocks to wheels may be made of aluminum.
Application of aluminum in aviation field
Just like aluminum is ideal for cars and trucks because of its combination of strength and light weight, it's also an important material for building airplanes. The typical fuselage of a modern aircraft is made of 80% aluminum. The fuselages, wings and support structures of commercial aircraft are likely to be made of aluminum, which is responsible for their shiny metallic appearance. Another huge advantage of aluminum is its ease of formability, which is why many machined parts and complex shapes on aircraft are often made from aluminum.
While many different alloys may be found in aircraft, only one is known as an aerospace aluminum alloy: 2024. Primarily alloyed with copper, it is known for its high strength-to-weight ratio and good fatigue resistance. It is commonly found on wings and fuselages. Other common alloys used in aircraft are 6061, 7075, 3003 and 5052.
In addition to aircraft, modern rockets and spacecraft also rely on aluminum. Getting off the ground is hard enough, but getting out of the Earth's atmosphere requires more thrust, so every ounce that can be shaved off of a spacecraft helps save money and fuel. This makes high-performance aluminum alloys even more important.
Public transport is using aluminum to improve efficiency
Public transport is designed to operate as efficiently as possible. Aluminum helps solve many of the challenges posed by modern transportation, helping to make almost all forms of travel cheaper and more efficient, including buses, trains, metros, ferries and more. Lighter materials help reduce fuel and energy consumption while also reducing the need for raw materials.
Aluminum's strength and lower weight also help make public transportation safer. For example, lighter vehicles can brake faster. It can be extruded to reduce the number of joints in the vehicle, helping to increase the overall stiffness of the structure. Another consideration is aluminum's corrosion resistance, which increases the material's durability and extends the vehicle's life cycle.
Bicycles are also made of aluminum, and anyone who has ever carried a bicycle up stairs knows that the lighter it is, the better. The cost of a bike usually depends on the material of the frame; the lighter it is, the more expensive it is likely to be. Aluminum frames are common. Many other metal parts, such as gears, chains, and spokes, are often made of aluminum.