Hirotec America (www.hirotecamerica.com) announced that it has perfected a manufacturing process for a crash beam that achieves a nearly 35-percent weight reduction compared to previous designs.

The automotive company said its C3 – Clean, Cost-effective, Cold welding – magnetic pulse technology has made it possible to change a part of crash beams that have been made of steel to an aluminum and steel combination. The aluminum and steel part is with a “cold” weld that the company said is achieved with concentrated electric pulses.

Hirotec America said it is the first company to make magnetic pulse technology available to automakers and their suppliers for manufacturing.

“We have refined a method to build a crash beam from aluminum and steel that can be spot welded directly into current door structures,” Dr. Jianhui Shang, product specialist for Hirotec America, said.

Shang developed the process that led to the advancements shown in the crash beam.

“Magnetic pulse technology trims weight by incorporating lighter materials and, with today’s focus on fuel efficiency, weight reduction is key. Magnetic pulse welding allows dissimilar metals to be bonded together on a molecular level—a process that couldn’t be done before,” Shang said in a prepared statement.

The crash beam provides the necessary strength by using spot-welded steel on the sides and aluminum in the main structure. Hirotec America said it solves a long-time manufacturing challenge of reducing weight while still providing the required levels of impact resistance.

“We are inventors. We’re constantly developing new assembly technology to solve the issues facing our customers — especially those related to closures,” James Toeniskoetter, president of Hirotec America, said.

Hirotec America’s parent company, Hirotec Group, is the world’s largest independent producer of automobile doors. It produces 6 million automobile doors each year.

The company said its C3 magnetic pulse welding has a faster cycle time than traditional arc welding, does not use consumable materials, and creates stronger bonds—all without heat and sparks.

The C3 process also: • Produces quality products at a higher yield because no pre-or post-processing is required. • Is clean because there is no stamping lubrication involved and minimal burr. And, features minimal spring-back and repeatable quality, leading to the development of superior products.