Technology on display at the SAE 2018 WCX World Congress Experience

Here’s an idea: An aluminum frame for the Corvette

You’re looking at an aluminum/composite version of a C2 Corvette frame in the booth of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. Believe it or not, parts of it are bonded with structural adhesives, an idea long used by Lotus sports cars as well as Jaguar, Ford, and Range Rover. The frame is 33% lighter (89 lb.), 150% stiffer in torsion, and 450% stiffer in bending than the steel production frame. Booth personnel said similar construction techniques are being used for frames going on kit cars, not just because of the structural advantages, but also because aluminum/composite frames can be delivered in weeks rather than the months it takes to get steel equivalents.
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