Nobody believed that the automotive industry would have moved so quickly towards using the high strength steel on so many new cars.

We all thought that this new steel would be used only on high class vehicles.

Unfortunately, we were wrong and today we have a problem.

Not only do we have to work with luxury cars but also with the mass-produced family saloons.

At first, we thought the new high strength steel would be used only in the non-repair zone.

The words "non-repair zone" mean that the damaged areas could not be repaired, so no tool; were needed to repair these areas.

But we were again, wrong.

These areas have to be repaired and the tools need to be provided to make the repairs.

We now have to look forward and master this new challenge. It is all very similar to the task we faced when we started working with aluminium.

At the time we were very anxious about the problems.

We had to educate the market place and introduce the new tools, now that we have trained the users, they are confident with the repairs.

The market place is much easier now, and the car manufacturers have decided to start this century with STEEL.

The car industry is playing around with new techniques.

In a big way laser welding and laser brazing is moving continuously into the car bodies.

Laser welding and laser brazing is going some way to replacing MAG welding and spot welding.

The reasons for the use of laser technology are simply:

• It’s cheap.

• It’s fast.

• Less production cost.

• Less machines involved.

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Less cleaning before the actual welding process.

• Heat control during the welding process.

Especially in the high strength and ultra-hard steel, the laser can be used for any kind of material and for this the laser cutter has been introduced, along with MIG brazing machines.

MIG brazing means zinc saving – so, no rust.

The zinc coating on the new steel will be irretrievably damaged if the metal is subject to excessive heat during the welding process. And how hot is too hot? Zinc melts at around 960 degrees.

MIG steel wire melts around 1500 degrees and when it is used to weld the new steels, the zinc coating is destroyed and the steel molecules are altered.

MIG brazing melts at approximately 960 degrees and it has to flow between the joint to make a proper weld.

It is imperative not to overheat the zinc coating.

Next issue, we will talk about equipment required to repair the new steels. l