Mazda in collaboration with Sumitomo Metal and Aisin Takaoka has become the first automaker to successfully develop vehicle components using 1,800 MPa ultra-high tensile steel. The super strength steel will debut in the all-new Mazda CX-5 crossover SUV that will commence its global launch in early 2012. Mazda’s new production technology uses 1,800 MPa ultra-high tensile steel to fabricate bumper beams, which fit inside the front and rear bumpers and mitigate damage in the event of a collision. The bumper bars are 20 percent stronger and 4.8 kilograms lighter than previous versions and are a key part of Mazda’s next-generation, lightweight and highly rigid vehicle architecture.
The use of high tensile steel enables vehicle parts to be thinner yet still retain the same degree of strength. In order to ensure the bumpers provide maximum strength in the CX-5, Mazda collaborated with Futaba Kogyo to optimize the welding techniques and establish a reliable manufacturing process.