Aluminum-rolled products provider and recycler Novelis (Atlanta, GA) reports that its aluminum is used in the 2016 Cadillac CT6 vehicle's body, which is produced using advanced laser joining techniques.
Related: Laser joining of aluminum poised to grow as cars lose weight
In North America, Novelis' plant in Kingston, ON, Canada will supply General Motors' (GM's) Detroit-Hamtramck plant (Detroit, MI). The company's plant in Changzhou, China will supply GM's Shanghai plant, which will produce the CT6 manufactured locally in China.
The Cadillac CT6 features a body made of 62% aluminum. Through the use of aluminum and advanced joining techniques, Cadillac has achieved significant weight savings, making the full-size Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan comparable in weight to the smaller midsize Cadillac CTS sedan. When compared to a similar size vehicle using predominantly high-strength steel, the CT6 is approximately 220lbs lighter.
In both North America and Asia, Novelis aluminum is featured throughout the vehicle body, including the passenger and rear compartments, roof structure, outer body panels, and door and deck lid structures. The CT6 features one of the most advanced mixed-use automotive body structures in the industry, including all-aluminum exterior body panels and rear-drive architecture.
GM's advanced joining methods are used to fabricate the CT6 vehicle structure, including GM's proprietary aluminum spot welding technology to reduce weight and increase strength and efficiencies. Laser welding, flow drill fasteners, and self-piercing rivets are also used, along with nearly 600ft. of advanced structural adhesives. In bending, the Cadillac CT6 has a 10% stiffer body.
Novelis automotive aluminum sheet is used in 180 vehicle models currently in production. Since 2011, the company has invested globally to triple its automotive sheet capacity, and expects continued growth in the use of lightweight, mixed-material solutions for automotive applications. This includes double-digit growth in the global use of automotive aluminum by the end of the decade.
For more information, please visit www.novelis.com.
