Body-in-white material systems: A life-cycle cost comparison

Abstract

To be competitive in the global automobile industry, it is no longer enough to understand manufacturing cost alone. The growing emphasis on environmental impact has forced life-cycle cost issues to the forefront. This article defines the life cycle of automotive structures and exterior panels—the body-in-white—to include manufacturing, operation, and post-use. These body-in-white life-cycle costs are assessed for a midsize, four-door sedan using an implementation of a technique called technical cost modeling. This article describes the life-cycle cost-assessment methodology and applies it for alternative body-in-white structure and exterior panel materials. These include steel stampings; aluminum stampings, extrusions, and castings; and resin/glass composite and thermoplastic moldings. The life-cycle costs are presented and analyzed for varying manufacturing scenarios. Although life-cycle costs currently do not drive the decision-making process in the automotive industries, legislative and consumer pressures could one day give them added weight.