Whether the hinge is strong can not be determined by the degree of thickness_Industry News

An article recently came out exposing certain car models for their use of different types of door hinges. The article highlights the use of "low-profile hinges," which are thin and made through a stamping process, and "high-grade hinges," which are thicker and made through a forging process. However, the key point here is not whether the hinge is "upscale" or not, but rather its strength. A weak hinge can easily deform when hit, potentially causing the door to fail to open and hinder the escape of people in the car.

The function of a door hinge is similar to the one used on a house door. Its main job is to connect the door with the door frame and allow for its opening and closing. However, judging the strength of a hinge based solely on its thickness is not reliable. Steel, copper, or aluminum can be used as hinge materials, and it is not possible to determine the strength just by looking at the thickness.

Based on my limited knowledge of cars, I believe that measuring with a caliper is not a dependable method to draw conclusions. For instance, the thickness of a car's body may not necessarily reflect its strength; it depends on the steel used. Many car advertisements mention "high-strength steel" in parts like the A-pillar and B-pillar, which may seem inconspicuous but are often stronger than the longitudinal beam, the supposed strongest part of the car. Similarly, the strength of a door hinge depends on the type of steel used.

As seen in teardown shows, a crash beam is concealed within the door, and it takes different shapes, like a "hat" or a "cylinder." This demonstrates how the same material can have different strengths when shaped differently. For example, a paper bridge made of dozens of folded A4 paper sheets can support the weight of an adult, even though it seems fragile at first. The structure plays a crucial role here.

The article that exposed the door hinges also emphasized the difference in structure between car models, in addition to thickness. Some hinges are single-piece, while others consist of two superimposed pieces. The fixing method also differs, with some hinges secured by four bolts. I took a look at the hinge used in the Volkswagen Tiguan, which was supposedly the thickest. Although it had a connecting shaft between the two pieces, the circle around the shaft was surprisingly thin, similar to the thickness of hinges that were made from a single sheet through stamping. This implies that looking at the thickest part alone is not enough, as it may break from the thinnest part upon impact.

Upon consulting professionals in the field, it became clear that the strength and safety performance of a door hinge are not solely determined by material and thickness but also by factors like the manufacturing process, structural layout, and load-bearing area. Judging the strength of a door hinge by thickness alone is highly unprofessional. Moreover, national standards exist, and even so-called "low-profile hinges" can have a strength several times higher than the national standard.

This method of assessing safety based on thickness is reminiscent of the popular notion of "evaluating car safety based on the thickness of the steel plate." However, it has been argued that the thickness of the steel plate has little to do with safety. What truly matters is the body structure hidden beneath the car's skin.

To determine whether a car is safe or not, it is best to examine crash test results rather than relying on hearsay. If one wishes to explore the secrets of a door hinge, it would be more effective to subject a car to side impact and observe which hinge is stronger.

The article concludes with the statement, "If a certain car's door hinge is on par with the Honda CRV, what strength does that certain car have to challenge Volkswagen?" If this sentence had appeared at the beginning, those with even a bit of professional knowledge would have found it amusing. Furthermore, even if they had the patience to read the entire article, they would have considered it more of an entertainment piece.

It is good to scrutinize car manufacturers and expose quality issues in their products. However, fault-finding requires knowledge and expertise. Going by feelings alone may lead one astray.

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