Steel Products
MSC's Smart Steel a PACE Award Finalist
Written by Sandy Williams
October 30, 2018
MSC Smart Steel® from Material Sciences Corporation (MSC) is one of 35 finalists for the 2019 Automotive News PACE Awards. The prestigious PACE program honors automotive suppliers for advanced levels of technical achievement, superior innovation and business excellence.
“MSC Smart Steel is a new multilayer steel laminate engineered as a direct substitute for low carbon stamped vehicle body parts.” said Matt Murphy, MSC vice president, Engineered Solutions. “Offering up to a 35 percent mass save compared with same-thickness standard steel, MSC Smart Steel is produced as a coil, stamped in conventional dies, spot welded with existing equipment and processed through standard electro-coat and paint systems – essentially compatible with existing manufacturing systems. This is the first ever spot-weldable low-density composite laminate to be used in a body application.”
One of the driving principles of automotive engineering is improving fuel efficiency, thereby reducing carbon emissions. Many strategies have been implemented concurrently by the automotive OEMS, such as improving aerodynamics and adopting alternative powertrains. But the most widely implemented practice involves reducing vehicle mass. More than ever, innovative designs and lightweight materials are playing a significant role in enabling engineering teams to design competitive vehicles that do not compromise performance.
{loadposition reserved_message}
“Traditionally, automotive OEMs have been slow to adopt new materials and technologies that are perceived to result in big changes to their manufacturing and assembly processes. The threat of additional equipment investment, fastening challenges, unproven CAE modeling techniques, and general fear of the unknown are sometimes in conflict with achieving vehicle weight reduction. MSC Smart Steel integrates seamlessly into longstanding manufacturing and design practices, and offers attractive degrees of mass saving over traditional materials,” Murphy said.
This is the second time one of MSC‘s advanced metals technologies has been named a finalist for the prestigious PACE Awards. In 2003, Quiet Steel® was among the finalists, and went on to win the PACE Award. Since that time, the MSC advanced metals family has grown to include Quiet Aluminum®, and now MSC Smart Steel.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Products

September energy market update
In this Premium analysis we examine North American oil and natural gas prices, drill rig activity, and crude oil stock levels through September. Trends in energy prices and rig counts serve as leading indicators for oil country tubular goods (OCTG) and line pipe demand.

Market says cutting interest rates will spur stalled domestic plate demand
Market sources say demand for domestic plate refuses to budge despite stagnating prices.

U.S. Steel to halt slab conversion at Granite City Works
U.S. Steel said it plans to reduce slab consumption at its Granite City Works near St. Louis, a company spokesperson said on Monday. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker will shift the production and processing of steel slabs to its Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh and its Gary Works near Chicago. Citing a United Steelworkers (USW) union memo, […]

SMU Week in Review: September 1-5
Here are highlights of what’s happened this past week and a few upcoming things to keep an eye on.

HR Futures: Market finds footing on supply-side mechanics
As Labor Day marks the transition into fall, the steel market enters September with a similar sense of change. Supply-side fundamentals are beginning to show signs of restraint: imports are limited, outages loom, and production is capped, setting the stage for a market that feels steady on the surface but still unsettled underneath.