Component-level evaluation of AA6082-SiCp aluminum matrix composites (AMC) for automotive damper systems

Aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) offer specific stiffness and strength, making them attractive candidates for lightweight automotive applications. This study investigates AA6082-based AMCs reinforced with SiCp for automotive damper systems using a twin-tube rear-axle demonstrator to enable a component-oriented assessment beyond isolated material characterization. The aim is to determine, at component and vehicle level rather than on isolated specimens, whether AA6082 reinforced with 15 vol% SiCp can be processed by a short powder-metallurgical route into functional damper components, and to define the resulting lightweight design window. Two damper components - a piston rod and a guide assembly - were manufactured using powder-metallurgical routes, including high-energy ball milling, indirect powder extrusion without hot isostatic pressing, and field-assisted sintering (FAST). The components were characterized with respect to microstructure, mechanical properties, surface topography, and tribological behavior and compared with steel reference components as a benchmark. The FAST-produced guide assembly exceeded the specified compressive load and showed reproducible mechanical behavior, achieving a mass reduction of up to 66%. For the extrusion-produced piston rod, mass reductions of up to 50% were achieved; however, the design criteria for maximum bending stress require system-level adaptation. Surface engineering strategies, including DLC coatings, were investigated. Overall, the results demonstrate that strength- and stiffness-driven AMCs should be regarded as multifunctional design materials rather than direct substitutes for steel, offering significant potential when component geometry, surface engineering, and system design are adapted concurrently, as confirmed by successful validation under application-relevant conditions.