A groundbreaking research initiative in the Midlands is set to transform vehicle manufacturing by developing the world’s first lightweight automotive and aerospace components made entirely from recycled aluminium. The £6 million PIVOT project, backed by the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK, brings together Coventry-based Sarginsons Industries, Aston Martin, and computational intelligence firm Altair to create sustainable chassis parts that could reduce vehicle weight by 30% while maintaining structural integrity.
AI-Driven Design Enhances Performance
Altair’s advanced software will utilize artificial intelligence to generate organic, simulation-driven designs for Aston Martin components. This innovative approach optimizes material placement to simultaneously increase strength and reduce mass. The automated design process promises to slash development timelines and costs while delivering performance benefits – particularly crucial for electric vehicles where weight reduction directly extends driving range.
Closing the Loop on Aluminium Production
The research tackles aluminium’s sustainability challenge by developing techniques to strengthen recycled material with trace alloying elements. Currently, all structural vehicle components rely on high-carbon primary aluminium. PIVOT’s methods could reduce embedded carbon in cast components by 95% – from 12 tonnes per tonne of material to under 0.5 tonnes. Sarginsons is collaborating with Brunel University and metal recycling specialist GESCRAP to refine grain structures and overcome impurities in secondary aluminium.
Creating a UK Circular Economy
The project will establish a new domestic recycling network for aluminium, redirecting the 250,000 tonnes of scrap the UK currently exports annually. This shift from finite primary sources to recycled material could transform sustainability across multiple industries. “This research lays the blueprint for efficient, sustainable manufacturing,” said Sarginsons’ Technical Director Gavin Shipley, highlighting the potential to create jobs while dramatically reducing the automotive sector’s carbon footprint.
Commercializing Green Manufacturing Tech
Sarginsons will use its £3 million share of the grant to expand facilities and workforce at its Technology Centre, with plans to license the developed software to manufacturers worldwide. The solution builds on the company’s proven casting expertise and positions the Midlands at the forefront of sustainable advanced manufacturing. As Shipley noted, the research could redefine material use not just for EVs, but for any industry utilizing aluminium components.
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