Lightweighting Executive Summaries Released
NCMS is pleased to announce the release of the two latest Executive Summaries from the LAMP project Thermal Processing of Aluminum Alloys and Ultra-Lightweight Sandwich Composite Constructions for Auto body Applications
When the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences contracted with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Energy Technology Laboratory to manage the Lightweight Automotive Materials Program (LAMP), we saw an opportunity to take the program farther than anyone had anticipated. For several years, NCMS and other collaborative leaders have been advocating the use of advanced modeling and simulation tools in product design and manufacturing. These techniques allow innovators to leverage massive computing power and predictive simulations to optimize designs, workflows, and products. It’s particularly effective when engineering requirements appear to conflict, such as the requirement that new vehicles be made of light yet ultra-strong new materials to accommodate 2016 CAFÉ Standards. LAMP was a perfect avenue to expose manufacturers to the power of predictive modeling.
Using modeling and simulation tools, Deformation Control Technologies, Inc. and Wayne State University selected and optimized the best lightweight materials for vehicle safety during their product design phase. The approach allowed project partners to use cutting-edge engineering solutions, which in the past were cost prohibitive and largely unavailable to smaller manufacturers. The multi-year LAMP program is winding down with great success. NCMS is preparing to release the latest Executive Reports for two key projects in the concluding stages: “Thermal Processing of Aluminum Alloys” and “Ultra-Lightweight Sandwich Composite Constructions for Auto body Applications.” These reports will provide an overview of the challenge, approach, findings, and solutions developed by the cross-industry collaborative teams NCMS managed under the LAMP program. Anyone interested in learning more about new innovations in lightweight materials for automobile safety will find these and other LAMP reports useful.
As these projects conclude, we would like to acknowledge the integral role the Department of Energy played in the creation of LAMP, as well as the tireless efforts of the project leaders, Deformation Control Technology Inc. and Wayne State University. Thanks to these leads and their teams, tomorrow’s vehicles will be safer, lighter, and more fuel-efficient, without being more expensive. Innovations like this often don’t get the sort of attention that more consumer-centric products might, but their importance cannot be understated. We at NCMS are incredibly proud of LAMP’s success, and couldn’t have done it without you!
View the reports here:
Ultra-Lightweight Sandwich Composite Constructions for Auto body Applications
Thermal Processing of Aluminum Alloys
Please take the time to visit our LAMP blog at http://lamp.ncms.org
Sincerely,
Steven E. Hale
Steve Hale, Senior Program Manager, National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS). He leads collaborative efforts to solve manufacturing problems by working side-by-side with cross-sector companies at the engineering level to president and CEO levels in many industries.