Lightweight Energy Absorbing Aluminium Structures for Transport (LEAAST)

轻型碰撞管理系统对于大多数形式的地面运输越来越重要。捷豹路虎等汽车原始设备制造商拥有先进的铝制车身设计，但仍依赖于用于保险杠梁和铁路应用的钢材，基于钢材的碰撞系统占主导地位。Constellium基于AA 6xxx合金系统开发了强度相当高的挤压合金，该合金系统可完全回收，与用于汽车结构和车身面板的板材兼容。布鲁内尔大学开发了合金和铸造技术，使挤压件和铸件以新颖的方式结合在一起，生产出新一代紧凑型轻质碰撞管理系统。设想的工作方案包括使用包覆铸造技术将高强度合金与铸造合金结合起来，以及使用粘接和铆接接头，以证明提高抗撞性和减轻重量的潜力。该项目将展示和评估用于汽车和铁路运输的碰撞管理系统的优化设计。该提案旨在实现具有成本效益的材料/制造技术，为汽车和铁路行业的碰撞管理系统实现重量减轻的阶段性变化。我们将设计、制造和展示基于新型高强度铝挤压合金的轻质铝系统，该合金可以取代现有的钢系统，同时使用回收的报废废料配制的合金提供至少25%的重量减轻。利用一种新的包覆铸造技术，将消除使用铸造合金焊接的需要，这些合金也是基于回收金属，我们还将首次利用英国现有的流动成型技术，为碰撞管理系统提供低浪费的近净形精密部件制造。该项目将涉及开发、模拟和验证公路和铁路的新型架构，这些架构将从根本上利用高强度铝合金、包覆铸造和铆接连接技术以及新型铸造和近净成形制造方法的最新进展所带来的新设计自由度。第二个成果将是通过布鲁内尔大学先进金属铸造中心的领先合作伙伴（JLR和Constellium），朝着更可持续，更以英国为中心的供应基地和资源节约型轻量化解决方案的制造能力采取切实步骤。该项目联盟包括来自英国供应链的代表，涵盖一系列工业部门。主要专注于汽车和铁路应用的碰撞管理系统，该技术一旦得到证明，可以轻松转移到底盘和车身的其他结构系统，其中钢结构可以被取代。通过更换LCV车身结构中的异种合金来关闭回收循环将增加报废车辆的内在价值，因为车身结构将作为消费后废料来源返回给锻造板材和挤压生产商（高价值）或用于制造具有高回收含量的进一步合金，其优点在成功的TSB REALCAR中得到了突出体现。（TP/9/LCV/6/I/S0086 E）。随着在LCV中更多地使用铝以及使用成本更低，更可回收的合金，将铝密集型车辆结构的使用从高档车辆扩展到更实惠和更高容量的车辆类别，将进一步实现非物质化。同样，铁路对轻型机车车辆的投资将遵循与汽车类似的策略，这将导致这些目前钢铁密集型结构的显着非物质化（重量减轻）。在EPSRC支持的TARF-LCV项目的基础上，通过纳入EPSRC液态金属工程创新制造中心，在TSB-LCIP的支持下，

Lightweight crash management systems are of increasing importance for most forms of ground transport. Automotive OEMs like JLR have advanced aluminium automotive body designs but still depend on steel for bumper beams and for rail applications steel based crash systems predominate. Constellium has developed considerably stronger extrusion alloys based on the AA6xxx alloy system that are fully recycling compatible with the sheet used for automotive structures and body panels. Brunel University has developed alloys and casting technologies that enable extrusions and castings to be combined in novel ways to produce a new generation of compact lightweight crash management systems. The envisaged work programme with include the high strength alloy being combined with casting alloys using overcasting techniques and the use of bonded and riveted joints to demonstrate the potential for both increased crash resistance and weight saving. The project will demonstrate and evaluate optimised designs for crash management systems for both automotive and rail transport.The proposal aims to achieve a cost-effective material/manufacturing technology delivering a step-change in weight reduction for crash management systems for use in the automotive and rail sectors. We will design, manufacture & demonstrate lightweight aluminium systems based on the use of a novel high strength aluminium extrusion alloy that can replace the incumbent steel systems whilst providing at least a 25% weight reduction using alloys formulated from recycled end of life scrap. Utilising a novel overcasting technology that will eliminate the need for welding using casting alloys that are also based on recycled metal, we will also utilise the flow forming technology available in the UK for the first time to provided low waste near net shape manufacture of precision components for crash management systems. The project will involve the development, simulation & validation of novel architectures for both road & rail which radically exploit the new design freedoms afforded by the recent advances in high strength aluminium alloys, in overcasting & riv-bonding joining techniques & in novel casting & near net shape manufacturing methods. A second outcome will be the tangible steps taken towards a more sustainable, more UK-centric supply base & manufacturing capability in resource-efficient lightweight solutions through the leading partners (JLR & Constellium) in the Advanced Metal Casting Centre at Brunel University. The project consortium includes representatives from across the UK supply chain covering a range of industrial sectors.Predominantly focusing on crash management systems for automotive & rail applications the technology, once proven can be easily transferred to other structural systems in chassis & body where steel structures can be replaced. Closing the recycling loop by the replacement of dissimilar alloys in the LCV body structures will increase the intrinsic value of the end of life vehicle as the body structure will be returned as a post-consumer scrap source either to the wrought sheet & extrusion producers (high value) or for the manufacture of further alloys with high recycled content of which the benefits were highlighted by the successful TSB REALCAR (TP/9/LCV/6/I/S0086E). Further dematerialisation will be achieved with the increased use of aluminium in LCVs & the use of lower cost, more recyclable alloys expanding the use of aluminium intensive vehicle structures from premium vehicle to more affordable & higher volume vehicle classes. Similarly, rail investment in lightweight rolling stock will follow similar strategies to automotive which will result in significant dematerialisation (weight reduction) of these presently steel intensive structures. Building on developments in the EPSRC supported TARF-LCV project supported under the TSB-LCIP through the inclusion of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Liquid Metal Engineering.