Steel Market Share in Bumper Systems to Grow to 91% By 2004
22 June 2000
Steel Market Share in Bumper Systems to Grow to 91% By 2004, Reports American Iron and Steel Institute
Study Points to Increased Use of High- and Ultra High-Strength Steels
DETROIT, June 22 Steel, already the dominant material for
automotive bumper systems, will continue to grow market share, according to a
study conducted by the Bumper Project Group of American Iron and Steel
Institute (AISI). The market share for steel bumper systems grew from 76
percent in 1997 to 86 percent in 2000 and is expected to be at 91 percent by
the year 2004. The study examined two types of bumper systems: facebars,
either chromed or painted; and, reinforcing beams, which are typically covered
by a plastic fascia.
This growth is at the expense of aluminum and plastics, which will
experience dramatic decreases in their market share. Both aluminum and
plastics had made some gains early in the 1990s.
Aluminum had a six percent share in 1997, which dropped to 2.5 percent
three years later and is projected to drop to 1.4 percent by 2004. Plastics
had nearly an 18 percent share in 1997, an 11.5 percent share in 2000 and is
projected to decrease its share to 7.6 percent by 2004. The forecast for
bumper production in 2000 is 34 million units.
There are plenty of good reasons for steel's continued dominance,
including a balance between cost and weight savings, part integration, styling
and ease of assembly. Much of this balance is brought about by the increased
use of high-strength and ultra high-strength steels, the fastest growing light
weighting material in the industry. High-strength and ultra high-strength
steels provide structural performance with improved weight savings. High-
strength steel grades are defined as those having a minimum yield strength
greater than or equal to 35 ksi (241 MPa) and a minimum tensile strength less
than or equal to 100 ksi (690 MPa). Ultra high-strength steel grades are
defined as those having a minimum tensile strength greater than 100 ksi (690
MPa).
To support the findings of the study, the Bumper Project Group, an inter-
industry group comprising bumper manufacturers, car companies and steel
producers, identified and benchmarked eleven advanced bumper systems. The
benchmarking provided tangible evidence of achievements the industry has made
which are resulting in significant benefits to car companies.
While working through the design process, car company engineers often
questioned the ability of the steel bumper manufacturers to design and produce
the advanced bumpers. But, by working together with their counterparts at the
car companies and steel producers, the bumper manufacturers proved out their
concepts and provided compelling reasons for the car companies to continue
using steel bumper systems.
The benchmarked bumpers include:
* A stamped, high-strength steel (microalloy, 50,000 psi yield strength)
front facebar for the model year (MY) 2000 Ford F150 pickup truck that
provides a sizeable, 22-inch depth-of-draw resulting in a high degree of
aerodynamic styling that can lead to better fuel economy. (Depth-of-draw
refers to the amount of rounding and wrap-around on a bumper section).
* A roll formed, front reinforcing beam for the MY 2000 Ford Crown
Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis that uses ultra high-strength steel
(microalloy, 120,000 psi yield strength) and features an 80 mm deep section
with a large sweep number of 34, despite its non-symmetrical design. (Sweep
refers to the degree of curvature of the outer bumper face). The result was
an excellent performing bumper for Ford.
* A stamped front facebar for the MY 2000 T300 Dodge Ram pickup that uses
an efficient high-strength steel (microalloy, 50,000 psi yield strength)
configured blank, incorporating 65% of the finished trim line, resulting in
less scrap and reduced tooling and material cost.
* A stamped, high-strength steel (microalloy, 50,000 psi yield strength)
front facebar for the MY 2000 Chevy GMT 800 pickup truck, which features
integrated brackets, thereby reducing assembly cost through part integration.
* A stamped front reinforcing beam for the MY 1998 Volkswagen Jetta that
uses a high-strength steel, tailor welded blank (microalloy steel with an
80,000 psi yield strength in the middle portion of the blank; and, microalloy
steel with a 45,000 psi yield strength at the two end portions) to provide
greater strength at the center of the bumper and improved styling through
better formability at the ends of the bumper.
* A roll formed, ultra high-strength steel (dual phase, 140,000 psi
tensile strength) front reinforcing beam for the MY 2000 Toyota Avalon which
mounts to the rails with minimal bracketry resulting in cost savings through
part integration and ease of assembly.
* A stamped, high-strength steel (microalloy, 50,000 psi yield strength)
front facebar for the MY 2000 Ford Ranger pickup that uses an innovative
energy absorbing mounting bracket to reduce weight and cost through part
integration.
* A roll formed, ultra high-strength steel (martensitic, 190,000 psi
tensile strength) front reinforcing beam for the MY 2000 Ford Taurus/Mercury
Sable which features a sweep number of 19, despite its closed B-section design
and the use of 190 ksi tensile strength martensitic steel, resulting in cost
as well as weight savings. The 190 ksi steel is the highest strength
automotive sheet steel in production in North America.
* An ultra high-strength steel (microalloy, 120,000 psi yield strength)
rear reinforcing beam for the MY 2000 Chrysler Voyager with a six inch depth
of draw, which is excellent for this steel grade.
* A roll formed ultra high-strength steel (dual phase, 140,000 psi
tensile strength) front reinforcing beam for the MY 2000 Toyota Camry with a
35 sweep number, which is considered a large sweep for a double box section.
* A roll formed ultra high-strength steel (dual phase, 140,000 psi
tensile strength) front reinforcing beam for the MY 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
and the Pontiac Sunfire, with a 50 sweep number, considered to be an extremely
large sweep in a box section.
The Bumper Project Group has available a Bumper Systems Report, which
provides comprehensive information on steel bumpers. Additional information
on each of the eleven bumpers presented here will be available in an update of
the Report, scheduled for release in late 2000. The current edition of the
report is available through AISI at 800-STEELWORKS, as well as through AISI's
website at: http://www.autosteel.org .
Members of the Bumper Project Group are:
Bumper Manufacturers
G. Simpson (USA) Inc.
Benteler Automotive Corporation
Marada Industries Inc.
Meridian Automotive Systems
Shiloh Industries
Shape Corporation
Automotive Companies
Ford Motor Company
General Motors Corporation
Steel Producers
Dofasco Inc.
Ispat Inland Inc.
LTV Steel Company
National Steel Corporation
Stelco Inc.
WCI Steel, Inc.
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) is a non-profit association
of North American companies engaged in the iron and steel industry. The
Institute comprises 46 member companies, including integrated and electric
furnace steelmakers, and 175 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers
to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its
applications, view American Iron and Steel Institute's website at
http://www.steel.org.
The Automotive Applications Committee (AAC) is a subcommittee of the
Market Development Committee of AISI and focuses on advancing the use of steel
in the highly competitive automotive market. With offices and staff located
in Detroit, cooperation between the automobile and steel industries has been
significant to its success. This industry cooperation resulted in the
formation of the Auto/Steel Partnership, a consortium of DaimlerChrysler, Ford
and General Motors and the member companies of the AAC.
This release and other steel-related information are available for viewing
and downloading at American Iron and Steel Institute/Automotive Applications
Committee's website at http://www.autosteel.org .
Automotive Applications Committee member companies:
AK Steel Corporation
Bethlehem Steel Corporation
Dofasco Inc.
Ispat Inland Steel Company
LTV Steel Company
National Steel Corporation
Rouge Steel Company
Stelco Inc.
U. S. Steel Group, a unit of USX Corporation
WCI Steel, Inc.
Weirton Steel Corporation