Materials Used; Production Process - Alfa Romeo 159 Training Material

BRIEFING

1.2.18 Materials used

The Alfa 159 is environmental-friendly, down to the chose of materials, machining processes and recyclability.
It was built without harmful substances, such as asbestos, chromium, cadmium and CFC, which are replaced with
Kevlar, organic pigments, aluminium, zinc and water, respectively.
What is more, material used were chosen by applying a LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) process. In line with what will
become mandatory for all industrial processes in the future, the method accounts for the global environmental impact
of materials in addition to their engineering and industrial characteristics: from extraction of raw materials to disposal
after use, including transformation, machining, packing, transportation, use and recycling.
Being reassured that the only materials which were harmless for the environment were used to make the new model
and that emissions were reduced to the minimum, Alfa Romeo focused on the recyclability of the various parts of the
159 when it reaches the end of its working life.
To obtain these important results, the materials were carefully chosen from the beginning of the new Alfa 159 project,
for example, by decreasing the number of polymers used and by favouring the use of more easily recyclable plastics.

1.2.19 Production process

The roof is laser spot welded to the bodyshell for a total of 2.8 metres of welding: this is the first time that this solution
has been adopted by Fiat Auto.
This ensures perfect coupling along the entire length of the roof and particularly the possibility of larger resistant
sections (laser welding is applied to one side of the panel, the other side can be boxed) for superior performance.
The laser welding technology (Agilaser Comau patent) is used on Alfa 159 also for the doors, which benefit from the
same advantages providing flatter, more homogenous panels.
© 2004 Fiat Auto S.p.A. - All rights reserved
ALFA 159 TRAINING MATERIAL
OUTER ROOF
SIDE
ROOF ASSEMBLY
SEAM
The roof laser welding cabin
OUTER SIDE
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Fiat Auto S.p.A.
After Sales Training
Traccia Didattica Alfa 159-en-ridotta