Increase Passenger Safety In Automobiles

Nov. 9, 2009 - PRLog -- ESCONDIDO, Calif. – This high-strength steel provides automakers with a cost effective and immediate solution for increasing gas mileage and improving crashworthiness of their vehicles.

“With sky-high fuel costs expected in the future and the new administration fuel economy standards, the time has come to rethink the basics of vehicle design,” said Laurie McCrink, Vice President of KVA Stainless, Inc. “We believe that autos designed with Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) along with our patented breakthrough technology will allow automakers the ability to produce a stronger and safer car without increasing the overall costs. The KVA process can be easily implemented into existing automakers plants to provide immediate solutions to reduce the weight of cars to help meet the 35 miles-per-gallon fuel economy standard.”

KVA Stainless Inc. has spent over 5 years developing and validating their proprietary and patented processes.

Light truck frame cross member parts achieved a 50% weight savings and increased strength over current High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steel designs. KVA Stainless successfully delivered new front bumper beam prototypes for a crossover body-style vehicle, which were 20% stronger than the proposed high strength pre-hardened strip material; yet, KVA's material was easier and cheaper to form and successfully welded and thermally processed without distortion or loss of strength. The bumpers successfully underwent full scale crash testing.

Several trials of improved B-pillars and fuel tanks using heat-treated KVA martensitic stainless steel were all successful with the intent of increasing passenger safety and reducing weight.

One of KVA's patented methods controls the welding process to enable high-speed welds without brittleness, says Danny Codd, KVA’s principal engineer. This opens up martensitic stainless steel to markets previously thought impractical such as lightweight automotive components & structures, gas & oil production/pipelines, aviation components & structures, medical devices, sports equipment, heat exchangers, bridges & buildings, dairy, petrochemical & processing equipment, and rail cars.

The founder of KVA Stainless, Ed McCrink fell in love with martensitic stainless steel after founding Hi-Temp Inc., one of the largest thermal processors in the United States that specialized in continuous thermal processing. McCrink has continuously pursued his vision of utilizing martensitic stainless steels to reduce weight and increase strength in components and structures. KVA Stainles was founded several years ago by McCrink and is becoming a leader in stainless steel research and development.

For more information on this new technology, please contact: Douglas Gore, VP Sales & Business Development, KVA Stainless, 124 S. Market Pl., Ste. 200, Escondido, CA 92029, Direct: 760-489-5821, dgore@kvastainless.com,  www.kvastainless.com