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The project has snagged a $6.72 million grant
What’s the story
A groundbreaking AI research project is happening right now in the Midlands, UK, aiming to make automotive and aerospace cast components from 100% recycled aluminum.
This initiative is led by Coventry-based casting firm Sarginsons Industries, with luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin as one of its research partners.
The project, dubbed Performance Integrated Vehicle Optimization Technology (PIVOT), has snagged a $6.72 million matched grant from the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK.
Technological collaboration
AI and the future of automotive design
Altair, a big name in computational intelligence, has teamed up with Sarginsons to develop software that uses AI to produce organic designs for some chassis parts for an existing Aston Martin model.
This software will bring in a super automated simulation-driven design process for the new components, speeding things up while cutting down on the time to market and development costs.
Aim to enhance component strength, reduce mass
The AI software is all about making parts stronger while keeping them light.
It does this by simulating how the part behaves under different mechanical conditions and figuring out the best way to place the material.
With this cutting-edge tech, Sarginsons can now help its clients in automotive, aerospace, and renewable sectors to have more control over casting development and reduce risks in production.
PIVOT project aims for 30% weight reduction
The PIVOT project is on a mission to prove that a vehicle’s chassis can be up to 30% lighter without compromising its mechanical strength.
This means that the new cars would not only be lighter but would also have a longer driving range.
Plus, the research is diving into how to make aluminum sourcing more eco-friendly by using fully recycled aluminum for stronger components.
Recycled aluminum: A step toward net zero emissions
Currently, all structural parts in vehicles are made from primary, high-carbon, un-recycled material.
The PIVOT project aims to change this by strengthening recycled aluminum with trace amounts of key alloying elements.
This could lower the carbon content in a typical car’s aluminum-cast components by up to 95% while improving ductility for crash safety.
This supports the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s acceleration toward a net-zero automotive industry.
Overcoming challenges in recycled aluminum
Sarginsons has teamed up with Brunel University and metal recycling experts, GESCRAP, to come up with grain structure refinement techniques.
This nifty move aims to tackle the impurities that usually tag along with recycled aluminum.
Plus, the research is set to establish a UK-based recycling network for secondary aluminum.
This could be a game-changer, helping us switch from using limited primary aluminum sources to the more eco-friendly secondary aluminum, which has a way smaller carbon footprint.
