Imagine if you could 3D-print a protective 'skin' of reinforced metal onto a standard car part to make it absorb impact better. Instead of using one heavy piece of metal, this method adds strength only where it's needed, like adding a targeted brace to a cardboard box. This makes cars lighter and safer, even when crashes happen at weird angles.
Current vehicle crash structures are often too heavy or lack the flexibility to protect passengers during non-frontal, unexpected impact angles in mixed AV/human traffic.
A hybrid manufacturing process combining casting/extrusion with LMD 3D printing and an online multi-player platform for simulating mixed-traffic crash scenarios.
If you are a vehicle manufacturer dealing with high material costs and heavy chassis — this project developed a hybrid manufacturing process that can reduce the weight of the whole BiW by up to 20% while improving safety.
If you are a parts supplier dealing with complex supply chains and high waste — this project developed a way to integrate LMD additive manufacturing onto extruded profiles, potentially saving 20% in manufacturing costs.
If you are an AV developer dealing with unpredictable mixed-traffic accidents — this project developed an online multi-player platform to simulate human-AV interactions to design better crash-tolerant structures.
Based on available project data, the simplification of the supply chain through this hybrid technology is expected to result in 20% manufacturing cost savings.
The project uses a front-end structure as a demonstrator to validate the process, with the goal of transferring the technology to other high-risk vehicle locations.
The project has established a plan to manage exploitable results and support IPR mechanisms to accelerate market introduction.
The application of these solutions to the whole BiW aims for a reduction of passenger injuries and fatalities by toward 50%.
The project period runs from September 2022 to August 2026, with current work focusing on lab-scale validation and demonstrator specifications.
The consortium is well-balanced for industrial transfer, consisting of 12 partners across 6 countries. With a 33% industry ratio (4 industrial partners, including 2 SMEs), the project bridges the gap between academic research (2 universities, 4 research centers) and commercial application, ensuring that the hybrid manufacturing techniques are grounded in real-world production needs.
Contact FUNDACIO EURECAT in Spain for technical specifications on hybrid Al-manufacturing.
Contact us to connect with the FLEXCRASH consortium for licensing and pilot integration.
