How strong are you? Visitors to the Salzgitter stand at HANNOVER MESSE 2014 can test their strength against five different varieties of steel. A device measures each candidate's strength as they pull, while a screen display shows how far the steel bends. This year the flat steels sector has chosen lightweight automobile construction as its exhibition focus theme. Among other things, the special properties of bake-hardening steels are being presented.

Steel is a fully recyclable material, and when combined with Salzgitter's new developments it provides the perfect basis for manufacturing, that economizes resources and allows reclamation of auto body parts. Bake-hardening steels are one example. These steels make it possible to manufacture very slender and thus very lightweight body shells. Another special feature: these materials only attain their specific component properties such as final hardness during the paint baking process. Thus, not only is the weight of the car reduced, these steel properties also enable energy-efficient cold forming of the body parts. Salzgitter is presenting the outer door panel of the new Golf 7 as a typical application – manufactured using an electrically galvanized variant of a bake-hardening steel.

Event tip: the steel sector comes together at Salzgitter’s Steel Day event to discuss current trends on the Tuesday of the fair (Pavilion P32, start time: 3 p.m.).

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