Stainless steel + Automotive

We know stainless steel as an extremely versatile material that is becoming more and more popular in numerous fields and applications due to its outstanding properties in terms of both function and design.

If we look at the range of materials used in the manufacturing of automobiles, materials such as aluminium, steel, plastics, fibreglass, carbon and even coconut fibre first come to mind. However, below we will discuss the possibilities of using stainless steel, both technically and design-wise, in automotive applications:

Stainless steel and cars – will that work?

Every car owner, and especially those who own an older model, not only has to pay attention to the care and condition of the engine and transmission only, but is also constantly faced with the problem of rust and corrosion of the sheet metal and other parts.

Who has not dreamed of driving a car made of stainless steel that will never rust again?

In the past, there were always "stainless steel cars", where the body of the vehicle was made of stainless steel, and of which one or two models even achieved cult status.

In such a car, the sheet metal could now no longer rust, but for reasons of cost and weight, this type of application was not considered ideally and never became established in a large-scale production series.

However, there are a number of alternative applications in automotive engineering where stainless steel as a material makes a lot of sense. For example, in

• Exhaust systems
• Exhaust trims
• Door sill trims
• Trim strips
• Protective strips
• Trims
• Loudspeaker covers
• Loudspeaker grids
• Covers for batteries
• and many more

The advantages of stainless steel in automotive applications

In addition to their excellent corrosion resistance, stainless steel sheets also have a stability and strength, that is very high compared to alternative materials. They are also characterised by good scratch resistance and, when used in thin thicknesses, are relatively light.

In addition, stainless steel is an extremely attractive and fascinating material in terms of high value look and feel, which inspires designers and customers alike.

A variety of different types of surface finishes can be used to create both functional and design highlights of the car.

mirrorINOX: Stainless steel surface treatment for automotive and more

mirrorINOX creates with surface treatments of stainless steel such as polishing, mirror polishing, grinding, brushing, glass bead blasting, PVD/TiN coating, nanoINOX® AntiFingerPrint/Easy-To-Clean coating, pattern rolling and fluid forming, and with combinations of the finishes, an almost unlimited range of surfaces from which designers, developers, engineers, technicians and users are able to choose.

This applies to the automotive sector as well as to the fields of architecture in general, façade construction, exhibition construction, shop fitting, elevator and escalator construction, yacht and ship building, container-, vessel-, silo-, plant and machinery engineering, the household and electrical industry, medical-, food- and pharmaceutical processing technology, for applications in aerospace, for art objects and much more.

Talk to the surface specialist – talk to mirrorINOX!