Ternium Mexico is currently developing FB-540 steel grade with a ferrite-bainite structure for the manufacture of rims for the automotive industry, becoming the first company to produce this grade of steel in Mexico.
FB-540 is a very high strength steel, so the thickness gauge of the steel used for the vehicle is lower and reduces the total weight of the unit. It is primarily used on vehicle wheel rims. Having a ferrite-bainite structure, it allows for better performance on the HSLA steel stress tests. This new development began in 2013, and is currently at the validation stage.
Elitza Guerra, responsible for the South Region of the Automotive Area, emphasized that with this development, clients who currently buy this product mainly from Asia, will now be able to acquire it in México. This new product is one of the most comprehensive, requiring high speeds at the Mill cooling table, in order to achieve a ferrite-bainite structure. This new investment will make it possible to manufacture it in all ranges of thickness.