Use of New and Light Materials in Automotive Engineering for Towing System

Abstract

Towing systems are an important component in the automobile industry, having to meet specific quality and resistance conditions. In most cases, the towbar is made of steel. Decreases in vehicle weight and manufacturing price mean that, in this field, research is also being conducted in order to replace the materials that make up the towbar and replace the steel with composite materials or aluminum alloys. In this paper, research was performed on towing systems built from other materials, and the obtained results were compared with those of steel systems. Theoretical calculations and experimental results made it possible to obtain a database and recommendations for the use of new and composite materials. The experimental tests validated the theoretical results obtained. Five towing systems made of different materials were studied. The results of the research are emphasized through recommendations regarding the manufacturing of towing systems.