Objective
FLOAT
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The purpose of the network is to integrate efforts towards
producing low weight automobiles. Previous efforts have
primarily concentrated on investigating alternatives for
reducing the weight of the automotive body structure. This
network will link those past efforts with the current project activities looking at reducing the weight of bolt-on
components, interior components and underbody components.
There are a number of questions that need to be answered before light alloy component (raw materials and manufacturing),
dynamic performance at reduced weight and thickness,
consistency and durability. This network includes projects
covering these aspects for aluminum and magnesium including
manufacturing processes and corrosion performance.
The main strategic objectives for the network projects are:
* Significant weight savings
* Improved performance including durability
* Cost effective new materials and processes
* Reduced energy processing
* Environmental improvements
* Design parameters for low weight components
The primary role of the network is to establish suitable
materials and their conditions, relevant manufacturing
techniques for different applications, a techno-economic
analysis of the possible combinations to establish a matrix of possibilities and a validated virtual concept for a low weight vehicle. The most cost effective and potentially most
acceptable solutions for the automotive industry and it's
customers will be established. The ultimate aim of the matrix would be to develop a low weight scenario with precise targets in terms of reduced weight automotive components and then to link that to the beneficial effect that has on the environment.
EUROPEAN DIMENSION AND PARTNERSHIP
This network has participants from seven EU countries including all of the major manufacturing countries from the automotive industry in Europe. The Network also links in specialists from non-manufacturing countries.
The need to operate on a European level is attributed to the fact that there are significant risks associated with
establishing these technologies at the right price for volume production. These risks make it uneconomic for individual
companies to embark on this work alone. Additionally with the USA and Japan doing similar work in a co-ordinated way, it
would be impossible for Europe to maintain its position without collaboration. National collaboration is also less relevant for this activity because of the need to have automotive
manufacturers, materials suppliers, materials research
specialists and manufacturing specialists together.
Additionally by carrying it out at European level it is
possible to aggregate the expertise from a wide range of
projects both past and present.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
There has been a great deal of work carried out by automotive manufacturers and material suppliers looking at low weight
vehicles and the majority of this work has focused on the body structure. However the number of applications in the market place is limited and they are all low volume applications,
usually on high value products. The challenge now is to
translate this technology for high volume applications both
technically and economically. The output of this network sets out to link together both processing and economics to provide an optimum solution for a virtual concept to take the European Automotive Industry a step nearer to the high volume solution.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering manufacturing engineering
- social sciences economics and business economics
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry alkaline earth metals
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering automotive engineering
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Coordinator
CV35 0RF 1 Lighthorne - Warwick
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.