Perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of stainless steel products are vehicles that you see on the road every day. Indeed, stainless steel has become a staple material for vehicle design, both in the main body of the car and its components.

Not only does stainless steel provide an easily fabricated material that can be cut and shaped into many different parts, but it is also resistant to corrosion and durable in many different conditions.  As a result, stainless steel is one of the most commonly used materials in vehicle manufacturing. Some of the defining characteristics that make stainless manufacturing so popular include:

Corrosive resistance

Vehicles are particularly susceptible to corrosion on both internal and external surfaces. On outer surfaces, humid conditions, salt, and moisture can cause rotting and damage to the body of the car. Internal surfaces are also not free of risk. The exhaust system and internal catalytic converters can gradually become corroded as a result of exhaust gases that are released at high temperatures.

To solve this challenge, stainless steel comes in handy as a corrosive resistant material for vehicle manufacturing. Stainless steel protects both internal and external surfaces form the rot and damage that exterior conditions would otherwise cause.

Mechanical flexibility for enhancing passenger safety

Another unique characteristic of stainless steel is its ability to absorb impact as it deforms. This makes it an important component of enhancing passenger safety in vehicles while on the road.

When a collision happens, the energy that is produced is quickly absorbed by the stainless steel surface and is dissipated when the surfaced becomes deformed. As a result, stainless steel is used as an impact-absorbing material and lowers the damage that would otherwise occur during a collision.

Durability

The durability of stainless steel makes it a top choice for use in vehicles. The material can withstand inclement weather such as heavy rains and strong winds. It is also not easily scratched, and it can be coated with electroplating techniques to achieve many different colours that suit the final product.

Stainless steel is used in the fabrication of many vehicle components

Due to the many benefits of stainless steel in automotive applications, the material is used to design a wide range of vehicle components. Some of these include:

Car doors: Car doors are mostly manufactured using stainless steel to make them durable, impact absorbing and flexible for multiple designs.

Fuel tanks: Fuel tanks also benefit from the impact absorption in order to prevent explosion. And because stainless steel is relatively light, lightweight tanks with a higher capacity can be fitted into smaller cars.

Exhaust systems: To add durability against corrosion, exhaust systems are fabricated from stainless steel to ensure they are working for longer.