| Steel
vs. Aluminum: Closure Design
What makes steel the
better choice for your closure? As shown in the figure below,
there are currently two options available to closure design engineers,
the conventional steel approach and the aluminum intensive approach
(Options A and C). In the near future, closure design engineers
will have a third choice: Option
B, which shows high potential of best balancing cost to weight
performance. Please contact the U.S. Steel Product Technology at
248-267-2531 for more detailed information on Option B technologies.
Factor: Cost
| Aluminum: |
100%
to 200% cost premium for weight reduction of 20% to 40% |
| Steel: |
Cost savings, even using the advanced high strength steels |
An optimized closure
design using steel could actually save money over current unoptimized
closures and is definitely the low cost winner over an optimized
aluminum closure.
Factor:
Styling
| Aluminum: |
Poor
formability restricts styling and geometry |
| Steel: |
Allows
for sharper styling and more aggressive designs |
Steel closures allow for
more creative designs as its formability gives designers more freedom in
sharp style lines and aggressive geometry.
Factor:
Recycling
| Aluminum: |
5XXX
and 6XXX grades must be segregated for maximum scrap revenue
return |
| Steel: |
Completely
recyclable. The most recycled material in the world |
Recyclability of
automotive components is very important at the end of automobile's life
cycle. Steel offers the easiest and most efficient way of doing
this.
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