Scale-up and commercialization of an innovative forming technology for low-cost production of super-light automotive structural parts (SECA)

用于低成本生产超轻型汽车结构件的创新成型技术的规模化和商业化（SECA）

• 批准号: 10027134
• 金额: $ 32.88万
• 依托单位: CURVEX TECHNOLOGY LTD
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10027134
• 关键词: Scale; up; commercialization; innovative; forming

Transport is the largest greenhouse emitting sector in the UK. It accounted for 27% of total emissions in 2019\. Of this, the majority (91%) was produced by road vehicles. Vehicle weight is a main factor responsible for the large emissions. Emissions of new cars in the UK fell by only 1% between 2011 and 2019 due to the rising popularity of heavy weight SUVs which consume 25% more energy on average than medium-sized passenger cars. The growth of UK electric vehicle (EV) market also faces a challenge in the need to increase driving range, which is closely linked to vehicle weight. Thus, the impetus to save vehicle weight is now a key focus of the UK carmakers to meet the country's net zero target by 2050\.Use of lightweight aluminium extrusion profiles is a promising solution to reduce vehicle body weight. Aluminium extrusion-intensive body structures enable 30% weight loss and 54% stiffness enhancement compared with steel counterparts (AEC, 2019). The reduced weight contributes to 5% drop in greenhouse emissions throughout a vehicle's full life cycle. However, aluminium extrusion profiles have yet to be fully exploited for passenger vehicles due to high product and assembly costs.Integrating streamlined aluminium extrusion profiles in vehicle body structures makes it possible to reduce part numbers and assembly costs while improving profile dimensional precision and aerodynamic performance. However, streamlined aluminium extrusion profiles are still difficult to produce cheaply by conventional extrusion processes. Currently, streamlined aluminium extrusions are made from straight lengths of extruded profile which are then bent or cut and welded. Bending distorts the extruded cross-section and cutting/welding reduces the mechanical properties of an alloy, so both operations reduce stiffness and load bearing capacity of a designed structure. Additionally, the multi-step operation increases energy consumption, reduces productivity and adds cost to the manufacturing process.This project consortium is seeking Innovate UK funding to exploit a UK-invented novel extrusion technology (Flextrude) to enable affordable manufacture of lightweight streamlined aluminium extrusion profiles in one single operation, thus eliminating costly secondary bending and joining processes. The Flextrude technology reduces manufacturing cost by 35% and lead time by 33%, compared with competing processes. The outcome from this project will create at least 115 skilled jobs and over £72 million revenue for our UK supply chain in 5 years after the project.

交通运输是英国最大的温室气体排放部门，占 2019 年总排放量的 27%，其中大部分（91%）是由道路车辆产生的。 2011 年至 2019 年间，英国新车排放量仅下降了 1%，原因是重型 SUV 的日益普及，其平均能耗比中型乘用车多 25%。电动汽车（EV）市场还面临着需要增加行驶里程的挑战，这与车辆重量密切相关，因此，减轻车辆重量现在是英国汽车制造商实现该国净零排放目标的重点。到 2050 年，使用轻质铝挤压型材是减轻车身重量的一种有前途的解决方案，与钢矛相比，铝挤压密集型车身结构可减轻 30% 的重量，并提高 54% 的刚度。 （AEC，2019）。减轻重量有助于在车辆的整个生命周期中减少 5% 的温室气体排放。然而，由于产品和装配成本较高，铝挤压型材尚未充分应用于乘用车。集成流线型铝挤压型材。车身结构中的型材可以减少零件数量和装配成本，同时提高型材尺寸精度和空气动力学性能，但流线型铝挤压型材仍然难以生产。目前，流线型铝挤压件是由直段挤压型材制成，然后弯曲或切割和焊接会扭曲挤压横截面，而切割/焊接会降低合金的机械性能。降低设计结构的刚度和承载能力此外，多步骤操作会增加能源消耗、降低生产率并增加制造过程的成本。该项目联盟正在寻求英国创新基金的资助，以开发一种新的技术。英国发明的新型挤压技术 (Flextrude) 能够在一次操作中经济实惠地制造轻质流线型铝挤压型材，从而消除昂贵的二次弯曲和连接工艺，相比之下，Flextrude 技术可将制造成本降低 35%，并将交货时间缩短 33%。该项目的成果将在项目实施后 5 年内为我们的英国供应链创造至少 115 个技术岗位和超过 7200 万英镑的收入。