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volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltraDork
10/16/17 12:47 p.m.

Came across this the other day.  Looks like Toyota and others may be affected.

It's hard to make Aluminum.  It's easy to fudge quality documentation.  sad

The0retical
The0retical SuperDork
10/16/17 1:29 p.m.

Oh that's seriously bad, especially in the train and aircraft industry where it's used on stressed components. Automotive too I suppose (the Mondeo example of hoods probably isn't exactly immediately life threatening.)

Bad timing too, Japan's aerospace industry was just starting to make some inroads internationally.

wae
wae Dork
10/16/17 1:46 p.m.

I'm sure the lawsuit will be debilitating, not just a grazing shot.  You just know that all these manufacturers around the globe are going to have a beef with them.

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltraDork
10/16/17 1:48 p.m.

In reply to The0retical :

The problem is, hoods are part of a modern vehicle's crash structure.  I could easily see a recall involving replacement hood.
I read in another publication that some affected aluminum could be found in some vehicle's suspension systems.  !!!

tuna55
tuna55 MegaDork
10/16/17 1:48 p.m.

My favorite website (to hate) goes on an on about "Kobe steel" like it's an actual variety you can look up in a book. This makes me giggle a little.

 

But no, it is not funny, it's bad. I recall the counterfeit bolt issue from years ago, this is bound to be similar. VCH perhaps you recall the brake disc castings with pita-bread size porosity inside them. It's hard to cast/forge things properly, but it's really easy to fake it.

tuna55
tuna55 MegaDork
10/16/17 1:57 p.m.
MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt PowerDork
10/16/17 2:05 p.m.
tuna55 said:

My favorite website (to hate) goes on an on about "Kobe steel" like it's an actual variety you can look up in a book.

I wonder if they also state that it is fed beer and massaged daily.

The0retical
The0retical SuperDork
10/16/17 3:17 p.m.
volvoclearinghouse said:

In reply to The0retical :

The problem is, hoods are part of a modern vehicle's crash structure.  I could easily see a recall involving replacement hood.
I read in another publication that some affected aluminum could be found in some vehicle's suspension systems.  !!!

How wide spread are aluminum suspension parts? I'll admit I haven't kept up with that particular evolution very well. My impression was that it's more limited to the exotics and low volume high end cars filtering down to only a few more mainstream vehicles.

The hood makes a lot more sense now that you mention it, it just seemed kind of silly in a vacuum.

Duke
Duke MegaDork
10/16/17 3:21 p.m.

My E46 was about as pedestrian as BMWs get, and it had aluminum control arms in 2003.  It’s not a small issue of exotics. 

dculberson
dculberson PowerDork
10/16/17 3:23 p.m.

Aluminum control arms started around the early 90s in higher end stuff and are super common nowadays.

WildScotsRacing
WildScotsRacing Dork
10/16/17 4:05 p.m.

In reply to The0retical :

Final gen P71 had aluminum front suspension.

Nick (Bo) Comstock
Nick (Bo) Comstock MegaDork
10/16/17 4:10 p.m.

My 05 Grand Prix had an aluminum cradle and control arms. I'd imagine if GM was using it for those that it's got to be pretty ubiquitous now.

spitfirebill
spitfirebill UltimaDork
10/16/17 5:20 p.m.

I guess a steel company should stick to what they know...steel.

 

Doesn’t somebody have to commit Hari kiri?  

einy
einy HalfDork
10/16/17 6:11 p.m.

Reading now that they also fudged quality reports on steel, as in the cords used in tires.  Yikes

WonkoTheSane
WonkoTheSane Dork
10/16/17 8:42 p.m.

In reply to tuna55 :

 

Knurled
Knurled MegaDork
10/17/17 4:47 a.m.
The0retical said:How wide spread are aluminum suspension parts? I'll admit I haven't kept up with that particular evolution very well. My impression was that it's more limited to the exotics and low volume high end cars filtering down to only a few more mainstream vehicles.

 

Pretty much everything nowadays has aluminum arms and in many cases aluminum uprights.

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltraDork
10/17/17 6:28 a.m.
tuna55 said:

But no, it is not funny, it's bad. I recall the counterfeit bolt issue from years ago, this is bound to be similar. VCH perhaps you recall the brake disc castings with pita-bread size porosity inside them. It's hard to cast/forge things properly, but it's really easy to fake it.

Yes, I recall both- the counterfeit bolt issue and the porosity we used to find in castings.  I said at the time that was how they smuggled immigrants over here, in the porosity of the castings.  

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltraDork
10/17/17 6:30 a.m.

I read an article yesterday that claimed some of the questionable material made its way into pipes that were delivered to the Fukishima power plant.  Those interviewed at the plant said that those pipes were "spares" and "never used".  

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltraDork
10/17/17 6:48 a.m.
z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
10/17/17 6:58 a.m.
spitfirebill said:

I guess a steel company should stick to what they know...steel.

 

Doesn’t somebody have to commit Hari kiri?  

'Perform' seppuku, would be a more correct translation. :)

tuna55
tuna55 MegaDork
10/17/17 7:05 a.m.

All that and their stock dropped 9%?

 

Also, I don't think Kobe has enough money to compensate everyone. I am amazed they said that.

STM317
STM317 Dork
10/17/17 7:11 a.m.
spitfirebill said:

Doesn’t somebody have to commit Hari kiri?  

Harry Caray?

gearheadmb
gearheadmb Dork
10/17/17 7:34 a.m.
tuna55 said:

All that and their stock dropped 9%?

9% in one day, 40% since the scandal broke.

pinchvalve
pinchvalve MegaDork
10/17/17 8:07 a.m.

"CEO Kawasaki...has run Kobe Steel since 2013, overseeing moves to expand the No. 3 Japanese steelmaker’s presence in aluminum." 

Hmm, I wonder what his plan was?  And what will his future be? 

1. Spend the rest of his life in jail

2. Get a 85 million dollar parachute and live happily ever after on some island.  

3. Keep working as CEO and have lunch with execs from VW and laugh and laugh...

KyAllroad
KyAllroad PowerDork
10/17/17 8:14 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve :

I'd guess 2 but more likely 3. 

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