Sustainable future, lightweight solution The majority of lightweight components are currently produced using virgin raw material. By using postconsumer, recycled material, the SuPLight project aims to produce lightweight components that will help improve the sustainability of the transport industry, as scientific coordinator Sverre Gulbrandsen-Dahl explains The
production of lightweight components and solutions is an important element in efforts to improve the sustainability of several areas of industry. The use of aluminium wrought alloys in particular could dramatically reduce the weight of structural components, an area which forms the primary research focus for the SuPLight project. “We aim to produce lightweight components for the transport industry based on recycled materials,” says Sverre GulbrandsenDahl, the project’s scientific coordinator. The production of virgin aluminium consumes a lot of energy, but the project is developing new industrial models for sustainable lightweight solutions. “One of the project’s key goals has been to design new alloys which can use up to 75 per cent or more recycled material,” explains Gulbrandsen-Dahl. “These new alloys have a slightly higher alloy element than virgin wrought alloys.” Recycled material Many of the components used in the transport industry are currently produced using virgin raw material, or through closed-loop recycling within the production chain. By using postconsumer, recycled material, Gulbrandsen-Dahl and his colleagues aim to reduce the weight of these components. “Around 2-3 per cent of the weight of most components is made up of alloying elements, and around 97 per cent is the aluminium,” he outlines. Researchers are adding more alloying elements, while at the same time aiming to maintain the quality of the material. “The mechanical properties of the product have to be on the same level as existing products that are based on virgin material, while the corrosion properties also need to be at the same level,” continues Gulbrandsen-Dahl. “Production efficiency is an issue here. Since we add more alloying elements it’s harder to form the material – that reduces
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productivity, and some of the production processes currently used are not suitable.” Researchers have developed new forming technologies to compensate for these types of issues, and while this may have an impact on the weight of the component, this is counteracted by its improved sustainability. The project is using a commercially available algorithm to assess the impact of new production methods throughout the full lifecycle of the component. “The algorithm itself is based on commercially available tools, but its implementation and the way in which it’s being used with the modelling tools has been developed in SuPlight,” says Gulbrandsen-Dahl. Researchers can use these tools to identify the specific impact of new production methods throughout the lifecycle of a product. “The goal here is
and material routes for components, which may be central elements in transport safety systems. “The Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) require more and more information regarding material content, energy consumption and other environmental factors,” says Gulbrandsen-Dahl. A multi-disciplinary approach is required to provide this wide variety of information to system manufacturers. Three sets of simulation models are being developed within the project, calculating the impact of new products and technologies. “We have a material model, which describes the developmental mechanical properties, given the chemistry and the heat treatment. The project has also developed a tolerance model, which calculates the geometrical
We have looked at test cases, where factors like energy consumption and carbon footprint have been calculated, based on established production processes. We then use them as reference points for what it is possible to achieve with new materials and technologies to be able to make corrective actions, preferably in the definition of the materials, products and processes to be used. This could be done virtually,” says Gulbrandsen-Dahl. This reaches right back to the initial production methods. While virgin aluminum can be lightweight, it’s also important to consider the energy used in its production. “We have looked at test cases, where factors like energy consumption and carbon footprint have been calculated, based on established production processes. We then use them as reference points for what it is possible to achieve with new materials and technologies,” says Gulbrandsen-Dahl. This is an important element in the project’s work in developing tools to calculate and simulate new processing
tolerances, and how that may vary. Then we have a product performance model which is designed to help optimise the product’s geometry – we have also developed an atomistic model, which is used to calculate the maximum impurity levels which can be allowed for a specific element,” outlines Gulbrandsen-Dahl. “Then we have lifecycle models, where we look at beginning of life, middle of life, and end of life calculations.” These components of course do not work in isolation, but as part of an overall transport solution. A framework for communication between software tools has been developed within the project, which Gulbrandsen-Dahl says brings important benefits. “We then have the possibility to increase our knowledge database as simulations are run. Since this
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