This Aluminium vs Steel Thing is Getting Kinda Crazy.

"Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis" (Dwhite95) 05/12/2015 at 17:33 • Filed to: None

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First it was Ford with how they had “military grade” aluminium in the F-150. Then Chevy responded with “Yeah, we have some aluminium, but we have “high grade” steel where it really matters”. And today I heard an ad on the radio from some steel organization about how important steel is to everything you do, and how you should demand it in everything you own because nothing else is as quality/durable/safe. Good god shut up, I dont care. Also, the aluminium is probably just fine.

Pictured, a truck that probably doesnt give a shit.

Cé hé sin > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:38

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No matter whether you use ordinary steel or high strength steel or extra high strength steel, it can still end up like this:

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:39

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My car is aluminum, so therefore that is correct and I am better than everyone.

STOP MAKING SODA CAN JOKES!

Cherry_man1 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:40

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I would rather have carbon fiber. Aluminum is expensive to fix and steel is just heavy. Carbon fiber may be expensive to fix as well but it's as strong as steel

HammerheadFistpunch > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:43

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Marketing. A good materials guy or any engineer will tell you there are pros and cons to each choice and there is no clear winner.

LongbowMkII > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:43

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I ain’t getting no namby pamby truck until they start making them out of titanium.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 05/12/2015 at 17:44

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Pictured: Your car

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 05/12/2015 at 17:45

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Mine is beige

DasWauto > Cé hé sin 05/12/2015 at 17:45

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And aluminum will fatigue. No material is perfect.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 05/12/2015 at 17:46

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Sorry I didn’t have a stock photo for a beige soda can. Geez, some people can’t be pleased.

Racescort666 > DasWauto 05/12/2015 at 17:55

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Aluminum will also corrode.

Wobbles the Mind > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:58

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Psh, I’m already on magnesium son. Get on my level.

Josh G > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 17:59

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I won’t be happy until i’m wrapped in a carbon tub..... preferably one made to crush in all the right places and none of the wrong ones.

Racescort666 > HammerheadFistpunch 05/12/2015 at 17:59

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I was going to say something similar. You have done so for me. Certain materials work better in certain applications, that much is true. Then there is this huge grey area where all kinds of bullshittery like cost come into play and the only way of choosing one over the other is by one having a better business case (fancy corporate jargon I picked up which really has no relevant meaning other than that it is supposed to assess a decision from all points of view).

DasWauto > Racescort666 05/12/2015 at 18:01

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Of course, though differently than steel does. It does further my point that no material is perfect.

spanfucker retire bitch > LongbowMkII 05/12/2015 at 18:12

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I’m waiting for Inconel.

Kailand09 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 18:22

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The real answer is: it depends on how good the design is made for a specific material’s strengths and weaknesses.

AM > Cé hé sin 05/12/2015 at 18:23

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And aluminum will end up like this:

No material is perfect.

LongbowMkII > Wobbles the Mind 05/12/2015 at 18:27

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That...

That’s a bad idea.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 18:38

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Hey. Companies, I really don’t care what your truck is made of.

Sincerely, Daily Drives a Dragon.

Frank Grimes > Cé hé sin 05/12/2015 at 18:51

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but but but aluminum is expensive to repair!

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/heres-how-much…

desertdog5051 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 20:32

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Answer. Carbon Fiber. You can’t afford it.

TheOnelectronic > DasWauto 05/12/2015 at 21:15

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I’m rebodying my car in cast iron. I will be invincible and able to cook tasty meals.

DasWauto > TheOnelectronic 05/12/2015 at 21:23

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Make sure to season it.

TheOnelectronic > DasWauto 05/12/2015 at 21:36

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Steak with a hint of possum and road salt.

Jayvincent > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/12/2015 at 21:37

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Iridium rules them all: just ask David Drake. Who doesn't want a vehicle made of a super dense refractory metal, impervious to energy and kinetic weapons of the future? And so shiny...

pasghetticode > HammerheadFistpunch 05/12/2015 at 21:58

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The “military-grade” part definitely is marketing. Usually “military-grade” means stuff that came from the lowest bidding contractor that does just enough to meet the specs and nothing more.

HammerheadFistpunch > pasghetticode 05/12/2015 at 22:22

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exactly, and its not there aren’t hundreds of milspecs for aluminum.

Mattbob > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 05/13/2015 at 17:01

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Saturn had the right idea.

Mattbob > Racescort666 05/13/2015 at 17:02

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better business case usually means the cheapest you can make it without getting sued.

Racescort666 > Mattbob 05/13/2015 at 17:17

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People will probably try and sue you regardless. I like to think of it as “cheapest you can make it while doing the due diligence of designing a good product.” Not everyone actually spends the time to put together a proper business case and favorable business cases aren’t always the path chosen because management isn’t doing a good job.

You can make a design better and cheaper but if management isn’t seeing the big picture then the engineer is shit out of luck.

Mattbob > Racescort666 05/13/2015 at 17:36

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yup