Magna International, in cooperation with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and partners FCA US and Grupo Antolin, has developed a new, ultralight door architecture that it’s claimed achieves over 42% mass savings compared to an average current production door.
The company says a key innovation includes integration of its SmartLatch electronic latch system, which eliminated the need for mechanical hardware and enabled the development of a carrier module with integrated glass guides and lift capability of a lightweight hybrid glass laminate.
The project makes use of materials readily available that can be made using existing manufacturing processes, without a significant increase in production costs or changes in body-shop infrastructure claims Magna.
Grupo Antolin contributed its know-how in the design and manufacture of interior trim components to contribute to the significant mass reduction. The FCA US engineering team provided engineering collaboration to confirm compatibility with existing assembly operations as well as CAE durability, fatigue and safety analysis.
