February 20, 2024 — Southwest Research Institute will host its second Automotive Corrosion Symposium in Detroit April 11-12. The event, first held in 2022, is designed to foster communication among corrosion experts from within automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well as material, paint and other automotive suppliers over a wide spectrum of industry-identified corrosion issues.
“Corrosion is a concern within the automotive industry, not just for cosmetic reasons, but because it can affect functionality and safety,” said SwRI Staff Engineer James Dante, one of the organizers of the event. “As the industry is driven toward high-strength, lighter-weight materials with significantly different corrosion properties, this concern is heightened.”
The symposium is organized by industry professionals addressing automotive corrosion from a variety of technical perspectives. This year’s theme is “Applied Corrosion Science for Next-Gen Vehicles.” The organizing committee is accepting abstracts for papers, presentations and posters through February 23. Abstracts can be submitted through the link below.
“The automotive industry is working to reduce emissions as it develops next-generation vehicles,” Dante said. “Whether improving fuel efficiency or pivoting toward electric vehicles, the need for lightweight, strong materials is exploding. These materials must be inherently corrosion-resistant or suitable protection systems are needed to prevent corrosion.”
SwRI has more than four decades of experience in corrosion and materials failure research. A multidisciplinary group of engineers and scientists offer a comprehensive approach to solving corrosion problems for government and industry. The Institute is home to corrosion testing laboratories that characterize materials in a wide array of caustic environments and develop corrosion-resistant materials and coatings to withstand the harshest environments.
For more information or to register to attend the event, visit Automotive Corrosion Symposium or contact Joanna Quintanilla, +1 210 522 2073, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.