The aluminum angle

By most accounts, aluminum is the most recently discoveredcommonly used metal, and exists only in combination with other materials such as silicates andoxides. Although early civilizations used aluminum-bearing claysto make pottery and aluminum salts to make dyesand medicine, it was not until 1808 that Sir Humphrey Davy established the existence of aluminum and named it.

It took another 17 years for Hans Christian Oersted to isolate it, and it has been produced commercially only since 1854. It was not until 1886 that two scientists, Paul Louis Toussaint Heroult in France and Charles Martin Hall separately but simultaneously inventedthe electrolytic process that is the basis of all aluminum production today, the Hall-Heroult process.

By contrast, the Iron Age, characterized by mankind's smelting of ironand its use in industry, began before 1000 B.C. Considering its relatively recent entrance into not only the automotive industry but the metal industry as well, aluminum has made great strides in grabbing a respectable amount of the automotive spotlightfrom steel. According tothe Aluminum Association, between 1991 and 1999 the use of automotive aluminum doubled, and is expected to doubleagain.

A report released by the Ducker Research Co. stated that 61.9% of passenger car and light truck aluminum content is castingsfor drivetrain components such as engine blocks, cylinder heads, and manifolds.

Audi 2 is claimed to bethe world's first aluminum car to be signed off for volume production. The Audi 2's spaceframeis composed of 60% panels, 22% cast elements, and 18 % profiles. Audi's A2 is aerodynamically efficient fora small car and uses the company's aluminum spaceframe technology.

Active vocabulary

according to — в соответствии с

aluminum-bearing clays — глины, содержащие алюминий

bear (bore, born) - нести (нагрузку); выдерживать

capability - способность, мощность, производительность

casting - литье

clay — глина

composite — композит, композитный материал

concept — концепция

concept vehicle — концептуальный автомобиль, концепт-кар

cylinder head — блок головки цилиндров

discover — обнаруживать, делать открытие, открывать

discovery — открытие (в науке и т.п.)

display — показывать; показ, выставка; дисплей, монитор

displayable — наглядный, изобразимый

double — двойной; дублировать, удваивать

drive — движение; двигать, вести, управлять

drivetrain — система передач

drivetrain components — узлы (компоненты) силовой передачи

dye — окрашивать, пропитывать (краской и т.п.)

engine block — блок двигателя

entrance — вход

fast-changing — быстроменяющийся

grab — схватывать, хватать

invent — изобретать

invention — изобретение

inventor — изобретатель

iron — железо, утюг; убирать неровности

isolate — изолировать

latest production process — новейшие производственные процессы (техно­логии)

manifold — коллектор

name — называть, давать имя; имя

non-conventional — необычный, неклассический

non-conventional materials — нетрадиционные материалы

process — процесс; обрабатывать, двигаться вперед

produce — производить

product — изделие, продукт

production — производство

productive — производительный, продуктивный

productivity — производительность, продуктивность

recently — недавно

recently discovered — недавно открытый (обнаруженный)

report — сообщать, отчитываться; отчет, доклад

separate — отделять; отдельный

separately — отдельно, независимо

separately but simultaneously invented — отдельно, но одновременно изобре­тенный

separation — разделение, отделение от

separator — перегородка, переборка; сепаратор simultaneously — одновременно

smelt — плавить

smelting of iron — плавление железа

spotlight — высветить, ярко обозначить

state — констатировать, утверждать; состояние, штат, государство

train — передача

use — использовать; использование, применение, польза

vehicle — автомобиль

2. Answer the following questions:

1) Are materials a fast-changing aspect for automotive engineers?

2) What do concept vehicles displayed demonstrate?

3) What must the automotive engineer for the next-generation vehicle know?

4) What is the basis of all aluminum production today?

5) When was the electrolytic process invented?

6) What is the role of aluminum in the modern automotive industry?

7) What components of passenger cars and light trucks are made of aluminum?

3. Match the following English words and Russian equivalents:

concept capability isolate grab

vehicle recently simultaneously spotlight

display discover invent double

composite bear smelt casting

clay dye entrance drivetrain

non-conventional drive train manifold

изолировать концепция способность ухватить

одновременно автомобиль недавно высветить

изобретать показ обнаруживать удваивать

плавить композит нести литье

вход глина окрашивать передача

система передач необычный двигать коллектор

4. Translate the following words and combinations:

concept vehicle, fast-changing, non-conventional materials, latest production process, recently discovered, aluminum-bearing clays, separately but simultaneously invented, smelting of iron, drivetrain components, engine block, cylinder head, according to

5. Fill in the words from the text and translate the sentences.

Materials are ________ aspect for automotive engineers.

Concept _______ displayed demonstrate that new uses of plastics, composites, aluminum, and other _______ materials are to be a part of future ________ and ________ trucks.

The automotive engineer for the next-generation vehicle must know the _________ of a wide range of materials and the capability of the latest _______ _______for these materials.

According to the Aluminum Association, between 1991 and 1999 the use of _______ _______doubled, and is expected to double again.

A report released in 1999 stated that 61.9 % of _______ car and light _______ aluminum content is castings for drivetrain components such as _______ blocks, _______ heads, and manifolds.

Text B. HYDROFORMED AUTO PARTS.

1. Read the text and retell it.

Find a better, cheaper way to produce parts, and the auto industry lakes notice. Hydroformed parts, after all, offer weight, design, and cost advantages over stampings.

Tube hydroforming is a pressurized hydraulic forming process that produces complex shapes, typically from three to 10 feet long, and one to six inches in diameter.

Prime candidates include frame rails, engine cradles, radiator and instrument panel supports, roof headers, and seat frames. Hydroformed blanks can be manufactured from a variety of less-expensive materials, including low carbon hot rolled steel, cold rolled steel, high strength low alloy steels, precoated steels such as galvanneal, and even aluminum. And changing the material gauge does not require revised tooling, as it does in stamped assemblies.

The sequential pressurization process enhances the manufacture of highly complex components, with outside comer radii as low as two times the metal thickness, intricate bends, and expanded tube ends. Another new process for hole piercing - an operation performed within the die - allows designers great flexibility in the number and shape of holes along with unmatched part-to-part dimensional repeatability.

Some examples of weight and costs savings over stamped parts are as follows. A radiator support assembly is reduced from 17 components to 10 and from 36.4 lbs to 25.4 lbs. A front subframe is reduced from 6 components to one and from 26.4 lbs to 17.5 lbs.

Hydroformed parts and assemblies are quickly becoming the process of choice for automotive manufacturers.

2. Answer the following questions:

1) What is tube hydroforming?

2) What do hydroformed parts offer?

3) What steels can hydroformed blanks be manufactured from?

4) What automotive parts can be produced by hydroforming?

5) What are the advantages of hydroformed parts?

3. Fill in the words from the text and translate the sentences.

Hydroformed parts, after all, _______ weight, design, and cost ________ over stampings.

Tube hydroforming is a pressurized ________ forming process that produces _______ shapes, typically from three to 10 feet long, and one to six inches in diameter.

Prime candidates include ________, ________, radiator and

instrument panel supports, _________, and _________.

Tube hydroforming is_______ that produces complex shapes.

Hydroformed parts and assemblies are quickly becoming the ________ for automotive manufacturers.

UNIT 9

Text A. Safety.

1. Read and translate the text.

The Saab 9000 has been designed to prevent, as far as possible, accidents occurring in the first place – i.e., for active safety. Consistent driving characteristics (no surprises in critical situations) contribute to active safety, as do effective brake systems, front-wheel drive, superior stability, and an ergonomic interface between car and driver.

No matter how highly active safety is developed, of course, an accident may still occur. So the body and interior of the Saab 9000 have been designed for maximum collision protection of every occupant. this protection defines passive safety. Passive safety is continuously being enhanced through close cooperation between Saab engineers and a team of medical specialists who analyse the causes and effects of actual accidents. Their conclusions allow us constantly to upgrade the safety standards of all Saab cars.