Objective Aim of the project is the development of hypereutectic aluminium silicon alloys able to be processed by different technologies as: squeeze casting, lost foem and thixoforming, in order to produce, in a cost effective way, automotive components such as branking rotor drums, engine block, gear forks. The use of light alloys in the transport industry is becoming a stringent need; weight saving is one of the most important targets in new vehicles design which must comply with more and more restrictive limitations concerning fuel consumption and exhaust emission. Hypereutectic Aluminium Silicon alloys have good wear resistance combined with high modulus (E), high conductivity and good thermal stability (low CTE); that makes them attractive for the automotive industry in particular for many applications where the hypoeutectic aluminium alloys are not employable in replacing the traditional materials (cast iron, steel)/ Some technological limits are anyway present concerning these alloys: high liquidus temperature, wide freezing range, suitability only for casting processes which permit high solidification rate, not uniform distribution of Si crystals, necessity to perform electrochemical etching for improving the wear properties. These problems limit at the present time their market widespread. The strategic objectives of this project for each component are: *ENGINE BLOCKS: the good mechanical properties of hypereutectic aluminium alloys, in particular wear resistance, will permit to realise a cast in liners cylinder block. The substitution of today engine blocks, cast iron made or hypoeutectic aluminium alloys made with cast iron inserted cylinder, with hypereutectic alloys. engines produced by lost foam will allow a weight saving of about 30 40% keeping the cost at the same level and increasing time to mrket and flexibility. *BRAKE ROTORS: at the present time cast iron made; high wear resistance, good thermal stability, high E modulus, high conductivity and low expansion coefficient make the hypereutectic alloys the best candidate among the light alloys in replacing the traditional material. The expected weight saving should be of about 30 50% keeping the cost at the same level and improving the total cast quality. *GEAR FORKS: at the present time brass made; the hypereutectic alloys can guarrantee high stiffness and wear performance especially at high temperatures. The expected weight saving should be of about 40 50% with cost reduction of the order of 15 20%. Moreover, significant advantages on fuel consumption saving and on the cars' active safety and comfort as well as on the environmental aspect (by promoting the use of fully recyclable alloys) are to be expected. Finally the new hypereutectic alloys could be employed on many components, also in other industrial sectors than automotive where weight saving is considered an important goal. The expected market of these new alloys, referring to the automotive components described, has been evaluated of about 140 MECUs. Specifically innovative achievements will be: *Specification for a new generation of hypereutectic alloys *The development of a model based on the relationship between raw materials, processing techniques and final properties. *Validated GUIDELINES and DESIGN CODES (for lost foam process) for the production of sound automotive components. The workprogramme consists of 5 major tasks with a progressive change from a more scientifically view of the problem to the industrial view of the utilisation of the alloys. A relatively large consortium is necessary to bring together complementary players from all parts of the supply chain supported by research organizations with particular experience and facilities. Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringautomotive engineeringnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metalsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloids Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0201 - Materials engineering Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator ISRIM Scarl - Istituto Superiore di Ricerca e Formazione sui Materiali Speciali per le Tecnologie Avanzate EU contribution No data Address Località Pentima Bassa 21 05100 Terni Italy See on map Total cost No data Participants (10) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Allied Signal Bremsblag GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address 21504 Glinde See on map Total cost No data Aluminium Pechiney France EU contribution No data Address Centr'Alp 38340 Voreppe See on map Total cost No data Bosch Systèmes de Freinage SAS France EU contribution No data Address 126,Rue de Stalingrad 126 93700 Drancy See on map Total cost No data CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS E INVESTIGACIONES TECNICAS DE GUIPUZKOA Spain EU contribution No data Address 15,Paseo de Manuel de Lardizabal 15 20009 SAN SEBASTIAN See on map Total cost No data CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT S.C.P.A Italy EU contribution No data Address 50,STRADA TORINO, 50 10043 ORBASSANO See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Fagor Ederlan S.Coop. Ltda Spain EU contribution No data Address 20540 Escoriaza See on map Total cost No data Hydro Aluminium AS Ireland EU contribution No data Address 264,Kindrum, Cashel 1321 Letterkenny See on map Total cost No data RISOE NATIONAL LABORATORY Denmark EU contribution No data Address Frederiksborgvej 399 ROSKILDE See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data STAMPAL SPA Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Lombardia 6 10071 BORGARO TORINESE See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Mappin Street Sir Robert Hadfield Building S1 3JD Sheffield See on map Total cost No data
