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The Structural Cast Magnesium Development Project is a jointly sponsored effort by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) Automotive Metals Division (AMD) to identify and resolve technical and manufacturing issues that limit the light weighting opportunities of applying large-scale structural cast magnesium automotive components. This project, which began in the end of year 2001, comprises General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler and thirty-four other North America companies and organizations. The project has its overall objective set to determine the technical feasibility and practicality of producing and implementing a one-piece front engine cradle casting. This paper provides an overview of the project scopes and up-to-date accomplishments.

Ford GT 2005 vehicle was designed for performance, timing, cost, and styling to preserve Ford GT40 vintage look. In this vehicle program, many advanced manufacturing processes and light materials were deployed including aluminum and magnesium. This paper briefly explains one unique design concept for a Ford GT instrument panel comprised of a structural magnesium cross-car beam and other components, i.e. radio box and console top, which is believed to be the industry's first structural I/P from vehicle crash load and path perspectives. The magnesium I/P design criteria include magnesium casting properties, cost, corrosion protection, crashworthiness assessments, noise vibration harshness performance, and durability. Magnesium die casting requirements include high pressure die cast process with low casting porosity and sound quality, casting dimensional stability, corrosion protection and coating strategy, joining and assembly constraints.