Minimum mass combined with maximum stability

Dana has the capabilities to produce cost-competitive, advanced, lightweight spaceframes tailored for any vehicle manufacturers' low-volume, niche-vehicle needs.  The most recent example is General Motors' decision to select Dana as the supplier for the skeleton of the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06.  Dana’s innovation in supplying vehicle structures spans a century, from its first frame in 1905 for Stevens-Duryea.

 The Corvette Z06 spaceframe was designed and developed using the latest manufacturing technologies.  One of the major benefits was the reduction of the spaceframe mass by more than 30 percent from the original all-steel design.  This helped GM surpass its target for a total spaceframe weight reduction.

 The spaceframe is the only North American, all-aluminum frame produced at this level of volume for any major vehicle manufacturer. Using an advanced laser welding process, Dana was able to achieve material thicknesses more than double the industry average.  The frame consists of more than 14,000 millimeters of laser welding which equates to nearly one-third of the frame’s welds.

 Approximately 90 aluminum components, (excluding fasteners) create the spaceframe, a reduction when compared to the original steel structure. Dana was able to combine various aluminum technologies to achieve GM’s requirements for rigidity, while also achieving governmental crash and safety standards.

 The Z06 spaceframe represents Dana’s commitment to working in collaboration with vehicle manufacturers. The spaceframe is one example of how Dana demonstrates its dedication to advancements in material, manufacturing processes, and assembly technologies.

 Specifications:

* Represents a savings of greater than 30 percent.