Fatigue4Light
Fatigue modelling and fast testing methodologies to optimise part design and to boost lightweight materials deployment in chassis parts
Fatigue4Light aims to develop lightweight solutions adapted to the chassis parts of Electric Vehicles to enhance weight reduction compared to current solutions and increase vehicles’ safety due to reduced sprung mass.
Solutions will be based on the introduction of specially developed materials solutions with high fatigue performance, the development of new computer modelling with high fatigue prediction accuracy and new experimental methodologies that reduce the testing time for new materials.
Affordability including critical raw materials for EU assessment, and sustainability of the proposed solutions, will be enhanced based on the application of an eco-design approach supported by the application of LCA and LCC studies.
Fatigue4Light is one of the first projects tackling weight reduction in automotive chassis parts, which is a necessary step to further progress in electric vehicle lightweighting, as reduction of vehicle weight impacts positively in CO2 emissions, electric vehicle autonomy, driveability and security.
Development of new lightweight materials for Electric Vehicles’ chassis parts
Advanced High Strength Steels
New CP-like steels in the strength range of 800-1000 MPa.
Hybrid materials
Metal-composite sandwich material will be developed. The outer layers will be steel or Al and the inner core will be GFRP or CFRP.
Press hardening steels (PHS)
Advanced boron steel developed for press hardening of thick sheets with high fatigue resistance.
Stainless steels
New martensitic stainless steels, adapted for press hardening.
Al alloys
New 6xxx grades, with improved fatigue resistance, reduced costs and improved environmental profile thanks to a higher amount consumption of scrap (higher than 80%).
One step ahead
Innovative numerical modelling and experimental tests
Fatigue4Light goes one step ahead from the current fatigue modelling procedures through two modelling approaches in order to optimise the selection of new materials and reduce the implementation time between material development and the design of a new chassis part.
Process modelling approach
Based on the determination of the damage caused by the manufacturing processes such as cutting, forming and welding.
Fatigue modelling
Focusing on the influence of manufacturing process’ damage distribution on the long-term behaviour of the chassis component under cyclic loads inducing fracture by fatigue.
In addition, Fatigue4Light works to develop advanced testing methods to reduce the testing time and the number of specimens.
Fatigue4Light Concept
Multi-material construction
Considering the proposed steels, Al alloys and hybrid materials concerning materials already proposed by previous projects in chassis parts.
Simulation of part performance
Through developing new software for fatigue modelling together with a simulation methodology for process modelling (cutting and forming). This will reduce the developing time for chassis parts for electric vehicles.
Advanced testing
Fast experimental methods to decrease fatigue testing time and allow faster material development. This has a direct impact on the lead times for chassis part production and ensures a considerable time reduction.
Part monitoring
The use of hybrid material solutions allows embedding sensors into the composite material. This enables the monitoring of the structural integrity and safety for chassis parts.
Eco-design
Different material solutions will be assessed through accurate LCC/LCA, considering recyclability and use of critical raw materials for EU.
Project phases
Materials development for chassis parts
Fatigue4Light lightweight target is a reduction of chassis weight compared with the reference material (CP800 for chassis parts and DP600 for wheels). Such a challenge will be addressed through the development of material solutions based on steels, Al alloys and multi-material hybrid composite /steel or AI and FRP).
Development of tools for lightweighting
New virtual and advanced experimental tools to give additional weight savings and reduce the time for part development and manufacturing.
Validation of developed solutions at lab and industrial scale
Six demonstrators for chassis parts will be used for validating the modelling approach and the lightweight efficiency of the Fatigue4Light materials solutions.
Results
New tests and computer simulation methods to better estimate the fatigue life of chassis components and to select the optimal materials for lighter vehicle chassis.
