Special FeatureSpecial Feature 02

CASE

Responding to CASE, a Major
Transition in the Automotive Industry
The automotive industry is undergoing a once-in-a-century transition as moves to CASE technologies(Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services, and Electric) accelerate. As a company that has always worked
to expand the potential of cars through specialty steel, forged products, and other materials and parts, Aichi
Steel considers this transition as a new challenge and an opportunity to expand its business.
Going forward, we will further evolve the technologies we have cultivated so far, and develop andcommercialize new materials, parts, and products, to contribute to a more environmentally friendly society
where people and cars exist in harmony.

■ CASE trend

CASE is a field of technologies that are directly linked to the realization of a sustainable society facing a
range of issues, including climate change, frequent traffic accidents, and depletion of scarce resources. Byfurther strengthening development in this field, the Aichi Steel Group will promote ambidextrous
management and improve medium- to long-term corporate value while helping to address social issues
through its businesses. The elements of CASE technologies that we are focusing on in particular are
electrification (E) and autonomous driving (A) technologies.
Electrification technologies are expected to contribute to low-carbonization and decarbonization acrossthe entire lifecycle of cars, not just while driving.
We are therefore driving development to address the related issues of extended cruising range andresource scarcity risks.
Autonomous driving technologies are expected to reduce traffic accidents and congestion, andbring the joy and freedom of mobility to all. On the other hand, vehicle-infrastructure
cooperative systems that ensure safety, even when radars, image analysis,
and AI are insufficient, are essential for social implementation,
Aichi Steel contributions
so we are developing these systems with a view topractical application.

Providing materials and parts that improvestrength and durability while also minimizing
the use of scarce resources■■
Cruising range Resource risks

Expectations from society

E

Popularizing mobility thathelps realize
low-carbonization anddecarbonization acrossthe entire lifecycle
Electrification technologies

BEVs

Providing electric axles that are compact,
lightweight, resource-saving and that improve
motor efficiency while increasing end-of-liferesource recyclability

Resource risks
Cruising range■■

Providing materials that are highly cost effective
and are hydrogen embrittlement resistantResource risks
FCEVs■A・ Bringing the joy andfreedom of mobility to all

Autonomous driving technologies

43Development policies
Responding to this transition in the automotive industry, the Research and Development Headquarters promotes
development based on two policies: I. Focus on next-generation mobility development, and II. Beat the competition
through outstanding development capabilities and development speed. Specifically, this means (1) developing
materials and parts that support vehicle electrification with the aim of reforming existing businesses, and (2)focusing on development of systems that enable autonomous driving even under adverse
conditions with the aim of expanding business into few fields.
We aim to dramatically improve development speed and createfsion oinnovation by leveraging our research and development
Expaness fields
busints
strengths and enhancing partner
roduc
pde-addcollaborations in Japan andvalue
f highotneoverseas.
elopm
arts

2030

2026

Specific initiatives(related to development)

Providing autonomous driving support systems thatare not affected by radio wave environments or
bad weather, and that ensure a high level of safety
through highly accurate identification of vehicle
position

2022

Steel and forgedproducts for
low-cost EV
gear shafts
High-speed electric
axles that arecompact, lightweight,
and resource-saving

Low-cost, stainlesssteel for use withhigh-pressurehydrogenlogiesechnotdelop
f devests
sion obusinessenet
roducxEgint
ged pisrx
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set phaandpmenation,sloev
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Occupied spacetractortransportation

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autonomous
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systemDev

fp
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loev
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Deve

Power card
lead frames

Providing power card parts that havehighcooling functionality, which can affect theperformance of inverters

HEVs,
Cruising range
PHEVs,■BEVs

・ Reducing traffic accidents
and congestion

Vision and roadmap for 2030ation)
applicgplantinind(npazationfor exerciali
logiess)
Comm nt of technoport logistic(airpme
Develofsion oExpaness fields
businof highly arts
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np
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functionzationercialiComm)
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f BRT
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Publictransportation

Safety and security■BEVs: Battery Electric Vehicles
HEVs: Hybrid Electric Vehicles
PHEVs: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
FCEVs: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

AICHI STEEL INTEGRATED REPORT 2022

44

Special FeatureSpecial Feature 02

Responding to CASE, a Major Transition in the Automotive Industry

Initiatives for realizing the roadmap
Next-generation electric axle developed with the Aichi Steelstrengths of “integrated forging with steel making processes” and“DNA of material technologies”

Research anddevelopment strengths

Stator core

Motor part

Electric axle

Rotor core

Industry’s only integrated forging with steel making processes
Reduction gear part

Realizing highfunctionality throughcomposition
design and solution
technologies

×Pursuing quality,cost, and delivery
improvements
through production
process reform

Forging process
technologies

×

Improving productvalue throughdevelopment oftechnologies forpursuing net-shaping
and low cost

Part process
technologies

×Fast deceleration
Integrated forging withsteel making process
technologies
・High strength materials
・Using integrated forging with steel making process technologies

Product development

2010Electronic compasses

Taking advantage of the DNA of material
technologies passed down through successive
generations, we will lead future generations throughour manufacturing capabilities. In addition to existingproducts, we will develop new products that meetthe needs and changes of society with thetechnologies we have cultivated and new ideas.

MI sensors
Amorphous wire
Electronic components

Plating and surface treatment

Magnetic powder and magnet molding

Magnets for motors
MAGFITMAGFINE
Specialty steel
Stainless steel
Forged products

DNA of material technologies

TetsuRiki Agri
TetsuRiki Aqua

Expansion of basic technologies
originating from steel making

Power card lead frames

Steel and forged products for low-cost EV gear shafts
To meet the need for electric axles that are compact, lightweight, and low cost,
we are developing high-strength steel, and low-cost steel without expensive
alloy elements. We are also employing integrated forging with steel making

processes, which merge forging technologies and materials technologies, todevelop innovative techniques, and optimal materials, that enable improved
added value and improved cost competitiveness of parts.

Weight comparison of main composition materials
for electric axles

Conventional
High-speed electric axles that areproductcompact, lightweight, and resource-saving

With increased electrification of cars, demand for therare earths (scarce resources), electromagnetic steel
sheets, and copper used in car motors has increased
rapidly, which has led to major risks associated withstability of supply and the environment. To help addressthese issues, we are integrating our proprietary
MAGFINE anisotropic bonded magnets together withspecialty steel, and developing them for application to
next-generation electric axles that are compact,
lightweight, resource-saving and highly efficient.

2000

Thin film and MEMS machining

・ Dysprosium (Dy) free・ High electrical resistance・ Rotor integrated molding

Development leveraging theknowledge of a materials
manufacturer

Reduction gears

Developing
technology solutions
for incorporation into
customer processes
and designs

Material technologies (magnets)

Gear shaft

Development based on integrated forging
with steel making processes
Steel process
technologies

1990

High-speed rotation

We are leveraging the strengths of integrated forging with steel making processes,
which enables in-house production of everything from steel material to forgedproducts. This enables us to develop everything from materials to products at a single
site through process integration while developing high value-added parts that
contribute to lighter-weight, higher-performance automobiles.

Material designtechnologies

1980

Magnet100

Total: 40% down

8060

Main compositionmaterials

74%

40
DevelopedproductNext-generation electric axle being developed forpractical use (40% smaller than conventional
products in terms of volume and weight)

Down

200

Generic productDeveloped product

Electronic components are essential elements of next-generation cars that makeuse of many different electronic devices. For more than 30 years, we have been
researching surface treatment technologies, with a focus on products for cars from1996. At the moment, we are using our precision press technologies and highly
reliable plating technologies to supply the power card lead frames, which arereceiving good feedback from the market, that are essential for HEVs and BEVs. We
are also continuing product development to meet the increasingly sophisticatedneeds of customers.

Lead frames

GMPS autonomous driving support system
We are working on development of a GMPS autonomous driving support systemthat uses MI sensors to detect magnetic markers on roads for cars to estimate theirown position. With research starting globally more than 30 years ago, we started
demonstrating this technology at EXPO 2005 AICHI with vehicles, etc. inside thevenue. High cost is one issue that must be addressed before this technology can be
put to practical use. However, we have paved the way to successful implementation
through development of ultra-sensitive MI sensors, design of low-cost,
weak-magnetic-force magnetic markers, and development of our own magnetic field
noise elimination system. We have made steady progress in development throughverification trials conducted with national and local governments and partnercompanies. Going forward, we will accelerate our development program to quickly
commercialize these technologies for use within defined areas, such as factories,
and to implement them in society for use in open areas.

Ultra-sensitive magnetic sensors
Surface-mounted(100 mm dia. × 2 mm)

TOPICSWe are developing stainless steel for use withhigh-pressure hydrogen to help popularize fuel cell vehicles(FCEVs) and quickly realize the hydrogen society. Withsolid technical capabilities cultivated through years of
stainless steel manufacturing, we have developed highquality, high functionality steel that Toyota is using in its
MIRAI FCEV. We have also led the way by building systems
for testing and evaluating steels under high-pressurehydrogen environments, including the world’s firsthigh-speed fatigue test apparatus that we developed. To
help reduce costs as well, which are a major issue
hindering the popularization of FCEVs, we are stepping up
efforts to develop resource-saving, low-cost products.

(MI sensors)

magnetic markers■ Electromagnetic steel sheet ■ Copper ■ Magnet■ Gear shaft ■ Case, etc.

Low-cost stainless steel for use withhigh-pressure hydrogenLead frame production line (Gifu Plant)

Vehicle-mounted magnetic sensor module

Unica’s Tugnova compact electric tow tractor is expected
to improve the efficiency of operations through the use ofautonomous vehicles within factories

Partner collaborations
We are expanding collaborations with specialized institutions in Japan and overseas while searching for next-generation business fields anddeveloping products with a focus on mobility and manufacturing.
In October 2021, we concluded an organizational cooperation agreement to improve the quality of our industry-academia activities,
including joint research and creation of new projects with Tohoku University, and to expand the scope of our partnerships by strengtheningorganization-to-organization ties. As part of this framework agreement, and with the aim ofaccelerating research and development toward achieving carbon neutrality, we also establishedand began activities through the “Aichi Steel x Tohoku University, Materials & Process for theNext-Generation Electric Axle Co-Creation Research Institute” with a view toward thenext-generation mobility era. We are also promoting practical application of research outcomesin society through industry-academia partnerships in every field where mutual cooperation ispossible, including research and development, and creation of new projects.
Hydrogen filling nozzle made with Aichi Steel stainless sleet
Press conference announcing the Co-Creation Research Institute, jointly established with Tohoku University

45

AICHI STEEL INTEGRATED REPORT 202246