Challenges and Solutions in the Development of Magnesium Sheet for Sustainable Vehicle Concepts

Abstract

Magnesium as the lightest structural metal offers significant potential weight saving compared with steel and aluminium. Cast magnesium components are widely used, e.g. as engine blocks or gear box housings. To open more opportunities for weight saving, it is necessary to widen the application fields to wrought products, such as large thin walled components for which sheets as semi-finished products are needed. The production and processing of magnesium sheets material is currently hampered by the limited formability of magnesium and high costs. The use of the twin-roll casting (TRC) as a cost-effective manufacturing process and the development of new calcium-containing alloys are leading to a decisive reduction of those obstacles.