2013-2016

The LoColite project involved 16 partners across 8 EU countries and aimed to establish production lines in Europe that manufacture lightweight complex-shaped components for automobiles, trains and aircraft.

The project utilised Solution-Heat treatment, cold-die Forming & Quenching Heat Form Quenching (HFQ) technology in order to form aluminium alloy to complex geometries such as increased drawing depth, sharper bend radii and elimination of spring-back when compared to traditional stamping processes.

As part of the project, multiple demonstrator components were formed from AA6082 and AA7075 alloys including a door inner and a structural cross-member as can be seen in the images opposite.

The success of the project was recognised and awarded a further 3 years development funding from the EU in the form of the H2020 Low Cost Materials Processing Technologies for Mass Production of Lightweight Vehicles 'LoCoMaTech' project.