The design practice of lightweighting is more important now than ever. Electric vehicle manufacturers in particular are looking to reduce the overall weight of their vehicles to increase battery life. Other manufacturers want to rethink parts where weight is the main driver of cost.
KMC sales engineers regularly work with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to provide engineering input and design solutions for lightweighting. If your design team is looking for out-of-the-box ways to reduce part weight or material, consider one of these best practices below.
Component Consolidation – By taking a holistic view of an assembly of parts, it’s possible to combine critical features into a single solution. Weight and cost are often reduced by eliminating the need for fasteners and welding. A redesign can reduce the combined weight of the separate parts and add strength in critical areas.
Material Thickness Reduction – Reducing the thickness of the material yields two critical benefits: weight reduction and cost savings. Design features such as gussets, strengthening ribs and flanges can be applied to compensate for a thinner gage. The KMC Sales Engineering team has successfully achieved a thickness reduction from 5 mm to 3 mm using this approach.
