SSAB to launch new Docol high-strength steel at SIAT 2015

SSAB, a global leader in value added, high strength steel, is using this year’s Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT) Expo in Pune (January 21-24) as the launch pad for its new Docol 1700 M.

Docol 1700 M, according to SSAB, offers car manufacturers a new high-strength structural steel for safer, lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles with improved environmental performance.

Developed and manufactured by SSAB for safety applications in cars, Docol 1700 M is a cold-rolled advanced high-strength steel that meets stringent requirements for low weight and high energy absorption. The new grade will help car manufacturers to achieve the frontal crash requirements set by the Global New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Docol 1700 M is appropriate for a range of applications. “A typical application for Docol 1700 M is bumpers,” says Olof Carré, global product manager for the automotive segment within SSAB. “It is now possible to produce thin, lightweight steel bumpers that have a high energy absorption capacity and characteristics that are difficult to achieve with other materials. The low weight contributes to good handling and better environmental performance without compromising on protection.”

Docol 1700 M is an advanced high strength martensitic steel. The steel is well suited for roll forming and is made in thicknesses from 1-1.5mm. The tensile strength is 1700 N/mm2 and the high strength is achieved in the manufacturing process where a special heat treatment is used together with an extremely high cooling rate.

“We are now taking a new step in the development of advanced high-strength steels with a focus on the automotive industry,” says Carré. “Manufacturers are calling for lightweight, strong materials with good environmental properties and that additionally can be manufactured at reasonable costs. Docol 1700 M is one such material that is opening up new opportunities for car manufacturers.”

Looking ahead, SSAB sees more uses for Docol 1700 M. “As the knowledge and awareness of the new material spreads, more designers are seeing the possibilities with this material,” explains Carré. “We receive continual requests by different companies for our strongest and most high-strength steels and they appear in everything from furniture to toys as well as in various construction applications.”

SSAB says it identified SIAT Expo 2015 as the ideal launch pad for Docol 1700 M due to its focus on enhancing the safety of cars. The event is organised by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) every two years and serves as a forum for automotive industry experts to exchange ideas and information. This year’s event will concentrate on technologies for safer, cleaner and quieter vehicles.