With the introduction of stronger safety legislation and increased fuel prices, automotive manufacturers must respond with higher car body stiffness for safety and lower body weight for fuel efficiency. The fields of mate......With the introduction of stronger safety legislation and increased fuel prices, automotive manufacturers must respond with higher car body stiffness for safety and lower body weight for fuel efficiency. The fields of materials development, engineering and manufacturing are working together to achieve these goals: Design initiatives (reduced wall thickness of parts, reinforcements in critical stress areas) New forming technologies Innovative material applications Higher material grades with reduction of the wall thickness Prompted by the increased use of aluminum, in recent years the steel industry has developed higher and higher strength steels with relatively good forming properties...and Schuler has the experience and press systems to handle the challenges of these new steels.