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SAE: Automotive Aluminum . . . and More
02/02/2003
SAE International has undergone an evolution not unlike other trade and professional societies, moving from the Society of Automotive Engineers to SAE International, "The Engineering Society for Advancing Mobility in Land, Sea, Air, and Space." Likewise, in the automotive area specially, its flagship technical event, the SAE Congress, has undergone some change in response to member needs. Specifically, the SAE 2003 World Congress has a new format featuring the following:
- A technical program focused on core technologies, including Lightweight Materials along with Advanced Propulsion/Powertrain, Advanced Electronics, Environment/Emissions, and Safety/Testing
- Exhibitor Supplier Pavilions that mirror the core technologies as well as OEM Vehicle Displays
- A "Technology Theater" feature in which senior-level executive sessions will be held
So what does the SAE 2003 World Congress hold for those of us with strong interests in aluminum?
- "Putting Vehicles on a High-Protein Diet: the Challenge of Making Lighter, Safer Cars" is a Technology Theater session in which representatives from the OEM and materials supplier communities will be featured
- Technical presentations in the "Lightweight Materials" program, primarily three sessions entitled Aluminum Products, Castings, and Achieving Lightweight Vehicles
By my count there are 17 papers on aluminum, roughly comparable to the number on magnesium and powder metallurgy, and far less than the 41 on composites, 57 on plastics and fiberglass, and 121 on ferrous materials. The topics of these papers cover quite a broad range, from use of aluminum in the design of specific components to manufacturing issues to castings. Nearly all will be available post-conference from the SAE Bookstore at http://store.sae.org/.
Of course the SAE Congress is not the only area where SAE International and aluminum intersect. In the automotive area, there are other specialty conferences including the International Body Engineering Conference and the Brake Colloquium. There is also a well-stocked store of past SAE papers, books, and other resource materials. SAE papers after 1998 are available online for download, which can be very convenient. Also, SAE has a training course entitled "Product Design with Aluminum Alloys", a two day offering that appears to cover most of the basic aspects of properties, processing, and performance. The focus is on helping engineers with backgrounds in other materials, specifically ferrous alloys, to understand aluminum in comparison to steels and cast iron. Finally, remember that SAE International is not only concerned with automotive technologies. They offer programming and resources in aerospace, motorsports, truck, bus, and off-highway areas.
One last note of relevance is SAE's Standards activities. In addition to SAE's Aerospace Materials Specifications, which are used widely in our industry, SAE now has taken over a number of Military Specifications. See the SAE web site at http://store.sae.org/ for more information.
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