Making high capacity robust carrying structures from combined lightweight materials
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | RISE SICOMP AB - RISE SICOMP AB, Piteå |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 3 447 697 |
| Project duration | September 2018 - September 2021 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | The strategic innovation programme SIP LIGHTer |
Purpose and goal
The aim of MakeCapLighter was to investigate efficient technologies for reducing the weight in carrying structures. The applications were a hoist and a battery box. For the hoist, the weight reduction is through using sandwich structures in the hoist wall. For the battery box, this was done by the hybridized of materials, investigating continuous and discontinuous fibres composites, glass and carbon discontinuous fibre composites and composites with aluminium and focusing on methods that can be done at a high-volume production rate.
Expected results and effects
The results were a prototype wall panel with a weight saving of ~40% that will now to be evaluated in a test hoist with an estimated cost under the cost per saved kg that has been calculated for the product. Secondly, a composite aluminium structure designed for side impact that can be produced by press was produced and evaluated as was a structure using carbon and glass SMC with local reinforcement of continuous fibres. The cost per weight saved when moving to this composite from an aluminium only solution is in the range 3.3-3.8 €/saved kg for the tested geometry.
Planned approach and implementation
RISE and Toray supported Alimak and PODCOMP worked on a hoist and Gestamp and Gränges work on a battery box. The hoist was re-desgined, moving the load bearing functionality from the wall and led ultimately to exceeding the weight saving goals. For the battery box key elements of the production process could be tested although the project would have benefited from greater specification of the design requirements. Advances in process simulation of short fibre composite and hybrid materials were also made.