The Development of a Center Cell Structure in Bonded Aluminum for the Ferrari 408 Research Vehicle

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The Development of a Center Cell Structure in Bonded Aluminum for the Ferrari 408 Research Vehicle

Seeds, A. / Nardini, D. / Cassese, F.

The F408 research vehicle has enabled Ferrari Engineering to evaluate new forms of transmission, suspension, bodywork and structure for future production vehicles. As part of this project, Alcan worked with Ferrari Engineering to adapt its Aluminum Structured Vehicle Technology (ASVT) to develop a bonded version of a central section of the structure (center cell) which had previously been made from folded, stainless steel box sections, laser-welded together.This paper begins with an outline of the major F408 project objectives and indicates the performance and manufacturing advantages for the features of interest, particularly the center cell structure. The paper describes the development stages of the bonded aluminum center cell, focusing on the design for stiffness, strength, and manufacture, and it shows that the performance and manufacturing objectives were met with a substantial weight-saving and improvement in stiffness compared to laser-welded stainless steel. The paper concludes with a summary of the other technical innovations and developments in the F408 vehicle.