Advances in Composite Materials Technologies Fosters International Collaboration
NCMS Presents Highly Successful LAMP Program to French Delegation
Ann Arbor, Michigan – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) hosted the French Lightweight Vehicle Partnership Delegation at its headquarters Wednesday, June 19th. The purpose of the meeting was to present the outcomes of NCMS’ highly successful Lightweight for Automotive Materials Program (LAMP), specifically composite constructions, to representatives from ten companies from France doing work in the same field, in return, NCMS and its members learned about the advances these companies were making throughout Europe and discussed collaboration opportunities.
LAMP is a Department of Energy funded Program which spanned 5 years, included 9 collaborative projects with 32 participants and 1:1 industry cost-share. In addition to composites, other LAMP projects included work in Aluminum, Titanium, advanced material processing and forming technologies. A showcase program for NCMS, LAMP succeeded in laying the groundwork for the now launching and much anticipated Grid Initiative which is working to bring digital manufacturing tools, such as modeling and simulation to the Nation’s small and medium sized manufacturers, a collaborative effort proven by LAMP.
NCMS members Dow Chemical, MAG-IAS, Wayne State University, University of Massachusetts – Lowell, Dassault Systemes Simulia, Michigan State University and L&L Products were all in attendance and presented on their respective research and technologies.
“Since 1986, NCMS has been the leader in collaboration”, stated Matthew Sakey, Global Brand Manager, “we’ve never limited ourselves to technologies found solely here in the U.S., and with this event, we learned there are many ways in which the U.S. and France can work together to advance carbon composite materials technologies and look forward to moving the relationships we began this week, forward.”
The French Trade Commission in the USA, UBiFRANCE, coordinated the visit of the French Technologies for Vehicle Weight Reduction delegation which included representatives from Cetim, Chomarat, Ellium , Hutchinson, IFP Energies nouvelles, Loiretech, Laboratoire Ondes et Milieux Complexes (LOMC, a joint-lab between Le Havre University in Normandy and the French National Center for Scientific Research, CNRS), Pinette Emidecau Industries, LUTB Transport and Mobility Systems, and MOV-EO.
“The opportunity to meet and exchange with the members of the LAMP consortium provided the French lightweight vehicle delegation a much broader appreciation of the types of composite research, simulation and production being conducted in the U.S.” stated Molly Swart, Senior Trade Advisor – Automotive at the French Embassy Trade Office, UBiFrance, “Members of the delegation have indicated an interest to further the dialogue in additional areas of research including exotic metals, aluminum, and resin injection used in multi material assemblies.”
The French Lightweight Vehicle Partnership Delegation is a consortium of companies working in the fields of advanced materials and innovative processes for vehicle weight reduction. The delegation includes suppliers, research laboratories, universities and representatives of the French automotive clusters seeking collaborative research partnerships and commercial opportunities in the U.S. and in Canada.
For more information visit http://www.ubifrance.com/us/