Steel Mills
AK Steel Introduces NEXMET™ Family of Next Generation High Strength Steels
Written by Sandy Williams
August 23, 2016
West Chester, OH, August 22, 2016—AK Steel (NYSE: AKS) announced today it is launching NEXMET™, an innovative family of high strength steels for use in automotive lightweighting applications. These products are specifically designed to assist automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in meeting 2025 U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) targets.
AK Steel’s NEXMET family of products will offer high strength, greater ductility (elongation), and improved formability solutions for a range of needs for structural and exterior automotive body lightweighting uses.
NEXMET 440EX is the company’s first new steel to be launched in this family of products. This new exposed surface quality product combines high yield and tensile strength at thinner gauges to facilitate lightweight designs. This results in enhanced performance where surface appearance and dent resistance are critical. AK Steel’s NEXMET 440EX is currently available and is being qualified by automotive OEMs as a steel solution for exposed body panel lightweighting needs.
“We are excited about the opportunities NEXMET 440EX offers automotive designers in their efforts to lightweight vehicles,” said Roger K. Newport, Chief Executive Officer of AK Steel. “This product is yet another important part of AK Steel’s strategy to offer innovative products for our customers.”
AK Steel will launch its Next Generation Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) products, NEXMET 1000 and 1200 in early 2017, following completion of upgrades at AK Steel’s Dearborn Works hot dip galvanized line. These AHSS steels will offer significantly improved ductility at tensile strengths of 1000 megapascal (MPa) and 1200 MPa, and will be used to help lightweight automotive body structures. (Source: AK Steel Press Release)
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
Hybar lowers output forecast, owning up to EAF startup delay
Hybar LLC’s rebar mill in Osceola, Ark., is now melting scrap and will soon be fulfilling orders, according to CEO David Stickler, despite a six-to-eight-week delay caused by commissioning the world’s first Aura electrical system.
Steel Dynamics guides to more metal, more money in Q3
Steel Dynamics Inc. is bullish heading into the close of the third quarter, with all three of its operating segments tracking higher.
AHMSA opens doors to potential buyers as $1.3B asset auction nears
AHMSA is opening its doors to potential buyers to tour its steel plant and mining operations in northern Mexico in preparation for the next stage of its bankruptcy process: the auction of its assets.
USW seeks clarity on USS plans for Granite City Works
The United Steelworkers union has asked U.S. Steel to elaborate on its Granite City Works plans following reports that the steelmaker is ending processing at the facility.
Nucor maintains plate prices, opens October order book
Nucor aims to keep plate prices flat for a seventh straight month with the opening of its October order book.