LIGHTer News International #1 2020

Lightweight solutions strengthen Swedish competitiveness and growth

News International #1 2020

Dear LIGHTer International News reader,

We hope this newsletter finds you in good health!
We in LIGHTer try to get as much work done as possible from our home offices in these unusual times. Due to the corona virus we are moving all spring seminars and workshops to autumn. Read more below.

During the spring we will open four different calls of different sizes. One of the calls is an exciting new collaboration with another strategic innovation programme RE:Source. The call topic is circularity of lightweight materials. If this is of interest to you, please form a consortium with a Swedish organisation and write an application. Organisations outside of Sweden are welome to contribute with in-kind but are unfortunally not able to receive funding.

LIGHTer is a part of ELCA, the European Lightweight Cluster Alliance. Many different initatives are taken. At the moment, LIGHTer together with other members of ELCA, are applying for an EU-project named ENLIGHTEN-U. The project aims at creating an excellence network for young researchers in Europe and disseminate research results. We will keep you informed about the progress.

LIGHTer will strengthen our international cooperation even more during the years to come. Right now we are all busy with the corona crises, but we also know that better days are to come.
Keep in touch and take care!

Best regards,

The LIGHTer Management Team
Cecilia Ramberg, Fredrik Stig and Lotta Weiblad

Chalmers / LIGHTer seminar

Please observe that the Chalmers / LIGHTer annual composite seminar has changed date due to the corona virus. Please note the new date in your calendar.

So again, welcome to the 5th annual composite seminar co-organized by Chalmers and LIGHTer in September 15th, 2020!

This year we focus on the future lightweight vehicles in different transportation areas. There are many generic issues that must be addressed in order to lower the emissions using lightweight structures. During the day we look forward to extensive and interesting discussions.
We have an exciting programme and we are happy to welcome speakers from many different industrial sectors, such as space, aeronautics, automotive and maritime.

You are warmly welcome!

Date: September 15, 2020
Time: 09:30 – 15:45
Location: Chalmers Teknikpark, Sven Hultins gata 9C, Gothenburg, Teknikparkens Konferenscenter, conference room Poseidon.

Contact person: Ann-Charlotte Weiblad, ann-charlotte.weiblad@ri.se 0707-806237

LIGHTer PhD Network

The LIGHTer PhD Network basic course, “LIGTHER – Lightweight materials and design” (6hp), had its third course theme on February 11^th and 12^th at DIAB AB in Laholm.

On the first day we met at the picturesque farm style hotel Lögnäs Gård. The day consisted of lectures on composite laminates, sandwich structures and finally a short introduction to the mechanics of cellular solids.

The day after we all went to DIAB in Laholm and were met by Peter Norlin who gave an excellent introduction to what DIAB is doing and to the use of their main product – structural foams for sandwich applications.

This was followed-up by Jerry Stigson telling us how the material is actually made and how it get its properties. The main event – going through the factory where the material is actually made, was as usual very pedagogic and inspiring. Many, many thanks to all the people at DIAB who made this day a great day with lots of learning.

Morphing a carbon fibre composite with only 1.5 V

Figure: A carbon fibre composite laminate that uses lithium-ions to change shape. (1) When both layers have the same concentration of lithium the laminate is flat. (2) When a current is applied, lithium ions move out of the bottom carbon fibre layer, which contracts, and into the top carbon fibre layer, which expands. This creates a bending motion. (3) By reversing the current the laminate bends in the other direction

This article is written by Wilhelm Johannisson, Ross Harnden, Dan Zenkert and Göran Lindbergh, all at the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH in Stockholm

Our latest research article demonstrates a new material concept: a shape-changing carbon fibre composite material, that is lightweight, has a stiffness higher than aluminium, and is electrically controlled.

Read the whole article

Success stories

A fresh batch of twenty new Clean Sky 2 Results Stories, featuring a selection of their results to date, is now online.

As part of the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, this collection of stories showcases a sample of Clean Sky 2 projects and illustrates the progress that have been made to date, highlighting the practical solutions and innovative technologies that they are pursuing to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of aviation and achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the European Green Deal.

Sweden's capability to develop world leading competence within lightweight technology will be decisive for the Swedish industries' competitiveness, growth and possibilities to reach global environmental goals. LIGHTer is creating the essential collaborations within lightweight: cross-disciplinary, cross industrial sectors, focused, innovative and efficient.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or opinions concerning the newsletter and its content.

Funding for the programme is being provided by Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas.