Nissan to Use Nippon Steel’s Ultra High Tensile Steel for New Model

Nissan Motor announced on Wednesday the firm realizes 15 kilogram per unit of light weight for new model vehicle in 2013 by using 1,180 mega pascal high tensile cold rolled steel products developed by Nippon Steel and Kobe Steel respectively. Nissan Motor uses the new high tensile steel for various parts including center pillar reinforce, side roof rail and front roof rail. The firm will use the steel in global operations.

Nippon Steel announced on Wednesday the firm got world first order for 1,180 MPa high tensile cold rolled flat steel with better formability from Nissan Motor. Nippon Steel succeeded the commercialization through optimum component design and new processes mainly in annealing while traditional high tensile steel was maximum 980 MPa for body structural parts with difficult formability.

Major automakers use 1,180 MPa ultra high strength cold rolled flat steel for limited parts including bumper beam and door impact beam due to the formability. However, automakers try to reduce the body weight more to meet severe environmental and fuel economy regulations in various countries.

Nippon Steel and Nissan Motor sought targeted strength and other properties through various tests to check 1,180 MPa cold rolled flat steel in formability of cold pressed structure, impact absorption property and weldability. Nippon Steel improved the elongation to 18% compared with 8% of traditional 1,180 MPa steel by optimizing microstructure of steel at steel making process and improving total process. The firm makes the product at Kimitsu works.