Tata Steel Launches High Strength Steel

Tata Steel has launched an innovative high-strength steel product here which will allow automotive manufacturers to make lighter components and create relatively complex shapes.
The new product, DP1000HY-GI, combines strength and formability and allows manufacturers to make lighter components without altering their production facilities “The material is ideally suited for the crash-protection structure of a vehicle. Tata Steel is one of a very small number of steelmakers to be able to offer this innovative product, which can reduce a component’s weight by up to 15%,” the firm said in a statement. 

The company worked with manufacturers to develop the product which is in response to market requirements for stronger and lighter steels and can be processed by existing machinery - a critical consideration in its development. Its superior formability makes it suitable for creating relatively complex shapes, while its optimal energy absorption capability is ideal for making crash-relevant components. 

“The safety of occupants is the most important consideration when designing a vehicle, but with the ever-increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, it is vital manufacturers use materials which are as light as possible,” said Sander Heinhuis, Tata Steel’s European marketing manager for automotive. 

Through the development of DP1000HY, Tata Steel has combined high yield, ultra high strength and formability, allowing automotive manufacturers to reduce the thickness of the steel they use. The company can consequently achieve impressive crash-protection while reducing weight.

DP1000HY steel, whose production started last month, incorporates carbon and manganese to increase strength and hardenability. It is finished with a hot-dipped galvanised coating, offering good corrosion protection and making it a cost-effective body structure solution.