BRAND-NEW
SPECI AL AUTOMOTIVE
Henkel Partners with Fiat Chrysler to Save Weight and Improve Process and Material Performance on Alfa Romeo’s Giulia
H
© FCA
the opportunity to use lighter metal enkel and Fiat Chrysler new metal treatment systems applied structures, but they are themselves Automobiles (FCA) are set to to the new Giulia, created through close using materials that are lighter than discuss their close cooperation cooperation between body engineering, previous generations of treatment in the development of ground-breaking process & materials engineering, and products. Processes and procedures new treatment processes applied to the the process material supplier. They shed are changing significantly as new latest version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia light on a holistic approach involving materials and application technologies (Fig. 1). Both companies shared the state-of-the-art multi-metal pretreatment are launched. podium at Surcar 2017, the international technology as well as acoustic, structural, meeting on sealing & automotive body coating finishing that has technologies taken place in in the body Cannes, France, and paint on June 29-30. shop. FCA and Henkel The new Giulia worked together has a body for almost three that is 90 kg years to develop lighter than a and tailor Henkel comparable materials and all-steel body. systems for This was FCA’s specific achieved by needs. Weight the use of reduction in car light metals in bodies is causing combination significant with new changes to process 1 the processes materials and applied in application Figure 1: The new Alfa Romeo Giulia manufactured by the FCA’s factory in Cassino (Italy): the car body is body and paint technologies. treated with the Henkel’s products. shops. Lighter To reduce car bodies weight At Surcar, Roberto Selvestrel from manufactured from mixed steel and and improve performance, FCA is using lighter metals like aluminium are FCA Materials Engineering Paint and Aluminum to account for 45% of car body Manfred Holzmueller, Sales Director requiring new approaches to surface weight. It has adopted a ground-breaking Transplant OEM Business at Henkel, treatments. The new processes are acoustic package to enhance passenger providing car makers not only with discussed results achieved by using comfort while saving more weight.
42
N. 46 - JULY/AUGUST 2017 - international PAINT&COATING magazine