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What Is An All-aluminium Body?
When discussing a full-aluminium car body, its most well‐known feature is its low weight. Apart from high‐priced premium models that incorporate significant carbon fibre, lightweight vehicles generally use a high proportion of aluminium.
The concept of a full‐aluminium body means that the vehicle’s structure is primarily composed of an aluminium alloy. Non‐aluminium components may be included, and aluminium may also occur in the form of other alloys.
In fact, the term aluminium alloy does not indicate a single type but covers many varieties. The international standard distinguishes these alloys with a four‐digit number and one letter. For example, the construction industry frequently uses 6063‑T5. The first digit, 1, denotes aluminium that is over 99 % pure; digits 2 to 8 represent alloys incorporating copper, manganese, silicon, magnesium, zinc and other elements; and digit 9 refers to the readiness group. The subsequent numbers primarily serve as identifiers. Consequently, each aluminium alloy designation corresponds to its specific properties.
Currently, series 5 and 6 are used primarily for producing full‐aluminium car bodies. They feature low density, high tensile strength relative to their weight and satisfactory fatigue resistance. They are employed in the ASF full‐aluminium body by Audi. Additionally, series 2 and 7 have limited applications. The copper–aluminium alloy from series 2, which exhibits high hardness, is sometimes applied in sheet metal parts. Series 7 is utilised in aerospace and by military organisations given that it comprises ultrahard, corrosion‐resistant and wear‐resistant materials that incur a high cost.
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