Lightweight Automotive Materials for Increased Fuel Efficiency and Delivery Advanced Modeling & Simulation Capabilities to U.S. Manufacturers (LAMP) Program Objective: The objective of this program is to develop and validate cost-effective, high-strength materials technologies that could significantly reduce vehicle weight without compromising cost, performance, safety, or recyclability. The target is to have the automotive industry adopt technology, inserting lightweighting materials into production vehicles within three years. The program shall focus on improved manufacturability and functionality, lowered costs for the deployment of new lightweighting materials, and introducing sustainability considerations into the design process. Additionally, advanced modeling and simulation tools are being developed to reduce the time and costs needed to introduce new lightweight materials into the transportation sector.
Technical Objectives:
- Engineered Performance Materials (EPM) has developed a nano material process that would be cost feasible for mass production. (Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE)/Thermo-Mechanical-Processing (TMP).
- Mahle proposes to characterize and develop the materials from EPM for use in IC engines
Business Objectives: The material properties will be used as the basic matrix in order to compare load carrying capacity of the new material with existing con-rod materials. Higher load carrying capability will allow a redistribution of the weights and consequently allow for lower weight and/or higher combustion pressures in engines, smaller engine size, higher specific output thus allowing for lower fuel consumption
Industry Partners:- MAHLE Industries, Inc.
- Engineered Performance Materials, LLC
