It is Docol1000CP steel, which has a significantly higher strength (1,000 Mpa) than conventionally used grades, maintaining the quality, performance and geometry of the parts.
In 2014, Gestamp started developing a new front lower control arm (FLCA) for the Toyota Yaris in Europe. To deliver a lighter solution to its customer, Gestamp Chassis wanted to challenge the steel grades available. This is when Gestamp approached SSAB. This Nordic company, a steel company specializing in delivering high strength steels, is an important partner for Gestamp on the path towards a more sustainable automotive industry, where weight reduction and CO2 savings are key factors.
The characteristics of Docol 1000CP, an advanced high strength steel, also allow lighter parts to be produced and it offers a very positive behaviour against fatigue, an important property for any part of the steering and suspension of a car such as the FLCA.
Dr. Mehdi Asadi, Materials Engineering Manager at Gestamp Chassis Germany, states: "This new material (Docol 1000CP) has enabled us to offer a much lighter front lower control arm than its predecessor."
Carlota Arenillas, Manager of innovation projects at Gestamp Chassis Spain, comments: "We were able to test a large number of different compositions thanks to SSAB's flexibility and speed of response regarding the prototype materials."
