Objective Objectives and content The objective of this project is to research, develop and refine appropriate low cost press tooling technologies to cover the full range of production volumes produced by the participating members. At present, automotive press tooling represents a time consuming and significant up-front investment cost for all vehicle manufacturers which has to be recovered over the life of the vehicle. With the growing trend towards reduced product life cycles and increasing number of derivatives, particularly for low volume / niche products these costs can be very significant for each vehicle produced. Current monocoque body structures comprise approximately 300 pressings, each requiring between 2 and 8 press tools for their manufacture, costing up to 70 million ECU. Maintenance costs over the life of the tools will add approximately 20%. It is anticipated that a broad range of study covering the complete spectrum of tooling activities will result in a 30% reduction in total life costs and a commensurate reduction in lead time. This will significantly improve the European automotive press tooling competitiveness and be suitable for application in other branches of industry. The project will include the following areas of work: - Research into die materials, die wear and surface treatment technologies - Identify and develop technologies specific to niche tooling - Develop and classify appropriate volume dependent die construction methods - Development of near net shape casting technologies to minimise machining - Develop generic guidelines using appropriate structural analysis of tools - Rationalisation of the tool design process for low cost manufacture - Identify cost relationship of press tool design to press technology - Identify areas of process integration - Review applicability of available expert systems The work will focus on pre-competitive technology that can be developed immediately by the European automotive industry to deliver world class competitiveness. Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringsubtractive manufacturingengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringautomotive engineeringnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligenceexpert systems Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0101 - Incorporation of new technologies into production systems Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Rover Group plc Address Cowley OX4 5NL Oxford United Kingdom See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AB Volvo Technological Development Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address 20,v stor gatan 20 293 80 Olofström See on map CASTINGS TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address East bank road 7 S2 3PT Sheffield See on map Creica France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 28,rue des frères chausson 92602 Asnières See on map DeltaCAD France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rond point guy denielou 60200 Compiegne See on map Links Website Opens in new window GIE PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 45,rue j.p. timbaud 45 centre de production de poiss 78307 Poissy See on map REGIENOV GROUPEMENT D INTERET ECONOMIQUE* France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 9-11,quai alphonse le gallo 13 92100 Boulogne-billancourt See on map United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Risley laboratory WA3 6AT Warrington See on map Welding Institute United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Abington hall abington CB1 6AL Cambridge See on map
