Dec. 5, 2014—Alcoa Inc. has developed a new, more efficient, way of constructing aluminum sheet for the auto industry, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The news comes as aluminum-bodied vehicles become more and more popular for auto manufacturers and consumers; many view the new material for vehicles as the future of the industry, the report states.
Ford’s all-aluminum bodied F-150 is set to go on sale this month. The truck costs more than previous models, but is said to save consumers money in the long run on gas consumption.
Alcoa’s aluminum is advertised as stronger and lighter than the products other manufacturers have been using, and is constructed by casting molten metal onto a conveyor belt where it is flattened into coils used by the industry. Currently, molten metal must be thrown into slabs before being rolled into coils.
Alcoa said it expects to market its new aluminum around 2018.
