Common Materials Used to Build a Car

Common Materials Used To Build A Car When it comes to designing a car, manufacturers need to consider its strength and weight, and the perceived quality. They also need to con- sider how easy the vehicle will be to both build and repair. However, the stronger, lighter materials are also the most expensive, so often a wide range of materials are used in an effort to compromise and keep the car affordable. 4 3 5 1 * Used in Expensive Cars 1 CARBON More expensive than steel, but stronger and lighter, carbon is mostly used in the construction of high-end vehicles. Carbon tends to be used in the form of carbon fibre. It can also be used with ceramics, such as with brake discs. STEEL Steel remains the most common material when it comes to constructing cars. It's one of the cheapest metals to manufacture and is available in different grades according to weight. 3 LEATHER Leather upholstery is both attractive and very resilient, making it ideal for interiors. It also provides a premium look; leather tends to suggest luxury due to the associated expense of preparing it for use, though these days artificial leather is becoming a popular, more ethical, choice. 4 PLASTIC Plastic is cheaper to produce than metal alternatives, and often faster to produce, too. It's also likely to weigh a lot less. Car interiors often favour plastic because it's relatively easy to mould and paint. It's used for some of the external components, too, such as the bumpers. GLASS This is used primarily in windscreens and windows, offering protection against the elements as well as against flying projectiles on open highways. It used to be that a common type of glass was used but now cars are made with a special toughened glass that shatters into safer, small pieces in an accident. These pieces are kept together by a laminated layer, meaning dangerous fragments won't endanger drivers or passengers. 9. ALUMINIUM Aluminium is another common material used in cars. It's lighter but stronger than steel, and it does not rust. However, it's much more expen- sive than steel so it's not commonly used in cheaper cars. 7 TITANIUM Titanium has a high strength to density ratio, making it an attractive but expensive material. Commonly used in high-end car parts, usually as part of the exhaust systems. Designed & Compiled by: 01792 477316 PLATES4LESS www.plates4less.co.uk 5 III