Global Automotive Lightweight Materials (GALM) Congress

This year’s Global Automotive Lightweight Materials (GALM) Congress promises to be the ideal event for seeing the latest in automotive technology. The conference will focus on advanced joining, forming and design of composites and lightweight metals to inform strategy, design, manufacturing and vehicle safety professionals. (See below for details on our XRF analysis of materials presentation.)

Show organizers explained on their website that “increasing pressure from consumers and stronger carbon emission regulations are driving every large-scale OEM in the US to explore the latest materials and manufacturing advances to reduce vehicle weight…. OEMs are critically racing to reduce the costs and cycle times of carbon-fiber composites, aluminium and magnesium. From design modelling and corrosion mitigation to recycling, technology is advancing at break-neck speed and each year OEMs must remain ahead of the learning curve to remain competitive on the forecourt.”

We have been seeing this trend toward lightweight materials for some time as OEMs and auto manufacturers race to comply with mandated CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements. Last year we wrote an article about how new steel grades were driving PMI programs in automotive manufacturing. More recently we wrote about the latest trend: aluminum alloys driving the PMI programs in automotive manufacturing.

If positive material identification and material analysis is a concern to you, then make sure you stop by the 8:30 session on Day 2, August 19^th, in the Manufacturing Quality Control slot. I’ll be addressing how to utilize handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology to confirm the chemical composition of aluminum and other alloys to ensure quality control over the materials used throughout automotive manufacturing. Although I’m listed as a speaker, I’ll be doing more demonstrating than speaking. There’s nothing like having the XRF instrument in your hand and seeing exactly how it works to get an idea of how the technology can benefit your company. I’ll be covering the role of XRF to accurately measure the thickness of electro plating, passivation and conversion coatings and assessing the compatibility of XRF to measure the chemical composition of high strength steels, magnesium and titanium alloys.

If you miss the demonstration, just stop by Booth 2 in the exhibit area. You can talk with our experts and see the XRF instruments in action. Feel free to bring some metal samples and we will analyze them right there on the spot.

Before heading into the presentation or the show floor on Day 2, make sure you grab some coffee, juice, breakfast pastries or bagels. We are sponsoring the breakfast briefing that day as well, but let me assure you, we will not be analyzing the coatings on the pastries. We’ll leave that to your taste buds.

Show Details:
Global Automotive Lightweight Materials
August 18-20, 2015
Booth 2
Day 2 Speaker Presentation: Mark Lessard, 8:30, Utilizing Hand Held XRF
Detroit, Michigan, USA

If you can’t make it to the show, you can follow the events on the show Twitter feed @GALM_Intel. Comment below and let me know if you want more information about the XRF presentation.