Lightweighting has been a hot topic in the auto industry for many years. However, most efforts have focused on body, chassis and interior applications. Automotive engineers are now turning their attention to power train components.
“We’re seeing more of this and it’s taking a holistic approach—mass drives mass,” says Bob Dolan, business unit director of power train design and integration at IAV Automotive Engineering Inc. “If you can make the engine or the transmission lighter, then the structures supporting them can be lighter, and we’ve seen this snowball effect taking place across the vehicle.