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JOIN-EM · Project

Weld Copper to Aluminium Without Heat to Cut Material Costs and Weight

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7
join-em.eu

Copper is great for conducting heat and electricity, but it's expensive and heavy. Imagine you could replace half the copper in a car radiator or electrical connector with aluminium — lighter, cheaper, same performance. The problem is copper and aluminium don't stick together well using normal welding because they melt at different temperatures and form brittle layers. JOIN-EM figured out how to slam them together using a magnetic pulse so fast that they bond perfectly — no melting, no weak spots, no heat damage.

By the numbers
EUR 4,127,029
EU funding for industrial validation of electromagnetic pulse welding
15
consortium partners across the development program
6
countries represented in the consortium
7
industry partners directly involved in validation
7
SMEs in the consortium
47%
industry ratio in the consortium
3
sites with installed measurement and joining equipment
2
additional material combinations beyond copper-aluminium
The business problem

What needed solving

Manufacturers of heat exchangers, electrical connectors, and automotive components are trapped between needing copper's conductivity and facing its rising price and weight. Traditional welding cannot reliably join copper to aluminium because the metals melt at different temperatures and form brittle intermetallic layers. Companies either overspend on full-copper parts or accept compromised performance with mechanical fasteners.

The solution

What was built

The consortium built and validated electromagnetic pulse welding processes for joining copper to aluminium (plus 2 other material combinations) in both profile-shaped and sheet metal formats. Physical joined parts were produced at 3 sites, measurement set-ups for in-process quality monitoring were installed, and the full production chain — including automation, quality control, tool durability, and economic efficiency — was evaluated in industrial conditions.

Audience

Who needs this

Heat exchanger and radiator manufacturers replacing copper with copper-aluminium hybridsElectrical busbar and connector producers seeking lighter, cheaper copper-aluminium jointsAutomotive battery pack and e-motor suppliers needing cold-welded dissimilar metal connectionsHVAC equipment makers looking to reduce copper usage without losing thermal performanceCable and wire harness manufacturers joining copper terminals to aluminium conductors
Business applications

Who can put this to work

HVAC and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing
mid-size
Target: Manufacturers of radiators, heat exchangers, and cooling systems

If you are a heat exchanger manufacturer dealing with rising copper prices eating into your margins — this project developed electromagnetic pulse welding processes that bond copper to aluminium without heat, letting you replace full-copper components with lighter, cheaper copper-aluminium hybrids. The technology was validated with 15 consortium partners across 6 countries, including automation and quality control for production lines.

Electrical Equipment and Wiring
any
Target: Producers of busbars, connectors, and electrical distribution components

If you are an electrical component producer struggling with copper weight and cost in busbars or cable connectors — this project built and tested a cold-welding process using magnetic pulses that joins copper to aluminium with full electrical conductivity at the joint. The consortium included 7 industry partners who evaluated economic efficiency and life-cycle performance in real production settings.

Automotive and E-Mobility
enterprise
Target: Tier 1-2 automotive suppliers making battery connections, motors, or cooling systems

If you are an automotive supplier under pressure to reduce vehicle weight and material costs in battery packs or electric motor connections — this project demonstrated electromagnetic pulse welding for copper-aluminium joints in both profile-shaped components and sheet metal. The process runs without heat, avoiding thermal damage to sensitive electronics nearby, and was tested with industrial automation and quality control in mind.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much could this save us on material costs?

The project specifically addresses rising copper prices by substituting full copper parts with copper-aluminium hybrids. While exact savings depend on your copper usage, aluminium costs roughly one-third of copper per kilogram and weighs about one-third as much. The consortium ran economic efficiency calculations as part of industrial validation.

Can this run at industrial production scale?

Yes — this was an Innovation Action specifically designed for industrial implementation. The consortium evaluated automation, quality control, and production-line integration with 7 industry partners. Durable and efficient tool design for continuous production was a core project objective.

What about IP and licensing?

The technology was developed by a 15-partner consortium led by Fraunhofer (Germany), one of Europe's largest applied research organizations. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium. Fraunhofer has a well-established technology transfer and licensing program.

Does the joint hold up under stress and repeated use?

The project developed a multi-scale simulation strategy to determine acting loads, deformation, impact conditions, joint formation, and load capacity. Joined parts were physically produced and tested at Fraunhofer and partner facilities, with results documented across 15 deliverables.

What materials can be joined besides copper and aluminium?

Beyond copper-aluminium, the project developed joining strategies for 2 other specific material combinations. The approach works for dissimilar metals that cannot be joined well by conventional heat-based welding. Based on available project data, the exact additional combinations are documented in the project deliverables.

Is this compatible with our existing production equipment?

Electromagnetic pulse welding requires dedicated EMW equipment — a pulse generator and coil tooling. The project addressed equipment design strategies and validated them in industrial settings. The measurement set-ups were installed at 3 partner sites (Fraunhofer, BWI, INNOVALTECH), providing proven reference configurations.

How long has this technology been tested?

The project ran from September 2015 to August 2018, a 3-year industrial validation program. The consortium produced physical joined parts, ran process analysis measurements, and evaluated life-cycle and recycling performance. The technology has been in development beyond the project period at Fraunhofer.

Consortium

Who built it

The JOIN-EM consortium is unusually well-balanced for technology transfer: 7 of 15 partners are from industry (47%), and 7 are SMEs — meaning the technology was developed with real manufacturing constraints in mind, not just in a lab. Fraunhofer, one of the world's top applied research organizations, leads the project from Germany, with partners spread across 6 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy). The mix of 4 research institutes and 3 universities providing the science, combined with 7 industrial partners doing the validation, makes this a strong candidate for direct technology adoption rather than further research.

How to reach the team

Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (Germany) — Europe's largest applied research organization with dedicated technology transfer offices

Order a report on this consortium
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the JOIN-EM team to discuss licensing or pilot testing for your production line? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right technical contact at Fraunhofer.

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