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ALCAN'S NEW ALUMINUM FRONT BUMPER BEAMS ARE MAKING AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEW OPEL ASTRA'S SAFETY SYSTEM
Alcan's state-of-the-art aluminum front bumper beams are making an important contribution to the new Opel Astra's safety system. Over a million bumper beams a year are now being manufactured for Opel models alone. Alcan has produced over six million side-impact beams, two million bumper systems and more than one million instrument panel supports for the automotive industry. "Aluminum structural components have become the technology of choice for many European automakers to both reduce vehicle weight and enhance safety," said Michel Jacques, president and CEO, Alcan Engineered Products, "These lightweight components provide high potential for further improvement in weight reduction, safety and structural stiffness". In the event of a minor collision, the repair-friendly design of the new Opel Astra serves to reduce repair-shop time and cost. A key component in the design is the Alcan front bumper. Produced at Alcan Automotive's crash-management centre in Gottmadingen, Germany, the front bumper beam features an innovative design, which includes a special aluminum extrusion attached to the vehicle body via high-strength crash boxes. The energy-absorbing characteristics of the system prevent expensive damage to structural components in a low speed collision. A unique bending method used in the automated production line process permits the shaping of high-strength materials to exact tolerances, ensuring safety, reparability and cost benefits to the end customer.
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