Reducing weight while maintaining or improving functional requirements is one of the challenges of automotive design and manufacturing in order to decrease fuel consumption and improve structural design. To reach this goal, automakers increasingly rely on aluminum alloys not only in body panels but also in structural, power train, and suspension components.

Aluminum has the following unique metallurgical properties that make it so desirable for the automotive industry:

• A thin protective layer of aluminium oxide is formed to prevent further oxidation
• Light Weight (low density).
• High thermal and electrical conductivity
• Cost is half of copper

When automakers substitute steel components with Aluminum alloys, a car's weight is reduced without compromising its dimensions. With every 10 percent reduction in vehicle weight, studies have shown a result of 6 percent to 8 percent decrease in fuel consumption. Gradually, iron-based car body panels are being replaced with Secorp Metals Aluminum-based alloys, such as SE-6061 or SE-6063 with alloying elements magnesium and silicon.