SSAB meets the high requirements of Fiat

INTRODUCTION

The traditional customer-supplier relationship between steel makers and car manufacturers has developed into something completely new.  The business relationship between Fiat and SSAB is a striking example of this. When managers of Fiat Group Automobiles use the key word “evolution”, they thereby refer not only to materials but also to the relationship with SSAB.

THE CHALLENGE

Fiat looked for top performances in terms of quality, service, technological innovation and product development, and a provider of steel solutions as well. Recycleability was another important aspect.

THE SOLUTION

The co-operation between Fiat Group Automobiles and SSAB Swedish Steel started with the side-collision bar for the first version of the Punto. “Since then,” says Giancarlo Bertoldi, Director for Interiors Engineering and Design of Fiat Group Automobiles, ”the use of high-strength steels in Fiat cars has increased tremendously, especially since the second version of the Punto. In all these years, these materials have undergone a huge evolution and this accounts for their greater use in the Grande Punto: from 28 percent to 67 percent. This means that, today, a good portion of the car body is made of high-strength steel. Better still, 17 percent is extra and ultra high-strength steel.“
Today, the performances of forged steels are 8 times higher than they were ten years ago.
And in regards of recycleability, steels are obviously among the most recyclable materials because of the existence of a self-financing scrap recycling industry.
The Grande Punto car body is made of extra- and ultra high strength steel.

CUSTOMER BENIFITS

By using high strength steels, the body weight of the Grande Punto has been cut by 32 kg. If the whole product lifespan is considered, this corresponds to a fuel saving of 150 litres and up to 400 kg less of CO2 emissions.
Low weight, compact design and good protection performance characterize the roll-formed internal waistline reinforcement developed for the side doors of the new Fiat Grande Punto. The car has been awarded the highest crashworthiness rating in the Euro NCAP test, and the beam was awarded the Swedish Steel Prize 2006 for its outstanding design.