Alcoa announced on July 14 that it is the recipient of a Global Innovation Award from Nissan Motor Co. for its proprietary vacuum die casting process (AVDC) and new, advanced alloys used on the GT-R, Nissan's new flagship, high-performance sports sedan.
The GT-R features aluminum inner-door and rear-seat structures made from Alcoa's AVDC process. The inner door, which is the largest vacuum die casting in the auto industry, and the rear seat structures offer weight savings up to 35% over steel designs, according to a company statment. The components were produced at Alcoa's Soest, Germany, plant.
Alcoa's AVDC process provides structural engineers with the ability to "build in" critical reinforcing ribs where enhanced strength is required and to "design in" very specific details to help consolidate parts and streamline assembly.
