lightweighting Archives - Page 5 of 7 - Environment + Energy Leader

Researchers Develop Ultralight, Ultra-stiff Material

June 23, 2014June 20, 2014 by Ken Jennison

Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a material that can withstand a load of at least 160,000 times its own weight, according to a June 20 article in the journal Science on June 20. The material, created by using additive micro-manufacturing ... Read more »

Lightweighting Grips Auto Industry

June 12, 2014June 12, 2014 by Leon Walker

Automakers are increasingly utilizing innovations including plastic windshields, foam bumpers and carbon fiber in an effort to lighten vehicles and increase fuel efficiency, reports the Associated Press. Lightweighting is the “real frontier in fuel economy,” as companies race to meet the government’s goal of doubling average fuel economy to 45 ... Read more »

IBM Discovers New Materials to ‘Transform Manufacturing’

May 16, 2014 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

IBM scientists have discovered a class of polymer materials that can potentially transform manufacturing and fabrication in the fields of transportation, aerospace and microelectronics. The researchers say the new materials are the first to demonstrate resistance to cracking, strength higher than bone, the ability to reform to their original shape ... Read more »

BMW, SGL Triple Carbon Fiber Production

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

BMW and SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers will triple production of carbon fiber to 9,000 metric tons per year at Moses Lake, Wash. (pictured), making the site the world’s largest carbon fiber plant, the companies say. High demand for the lightweight material in automotive production is fueling the $200 million site ... Read more »

PET Market to be Worth $60 Billion by 2019

April 21, 2014April 21, 2014 by Leon Walker

The global PET packaging market will have grown substantially by 2019, but some manufacturers believe opportunities for lightweighting may have been all but exhausted, according to a report by Smithers Pira. The market will amount to 19.9 million tons and be worth $60 billion by 2019, up from just under 16 ... Read more »

Aerospace Production Technology Cuts Waste, Carbon Footprint

February 6, 2014February 5, 2014 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), an aerospace production technology, has the potential to build light, sustainable parts and reduce a company’s carbon footprint, according to a study by EOS and Airbus Group Innovations, previously EADS Innovation Works. The environmental lifecycle assessment compared rapid investment casting with metal laser sintering to ... Read more »

$12M Funding to Advance Renewable Carbon Fiber

February 5, 2014February 5, 2014 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

The US Department of Energy has made available up to $12 million in funding to advance the production of carbon fiber material from renewable non-food-based feedstocks such as agricultural residues and woody biomass. Carbon fiber derived from biomass may be less costly to manufacture and offer greater environmental benefits than ... Read more »

DOE: $50 Million for Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Technology

January 24, 2014January 24, 2014 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

The US Department of Energy has made available about $50 million to accelerate research and development of new vehicle technologies that give drivers and businesses more transportation options and protect the environment. The funding will support a wide range of technologies that further cut fuel costs for drivers and help ... Read more »

Detroit Auto Show: Ford, Honda, Audi, Via Motors

January 14, 2014January 14, 2014 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

Although sports cars seem to be drawing much of the attention at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the annual show has more than a “hint of green,” Reuters reports. Ford, Honda and Audi are among the carmakers showcasing alternative fuel or fuel-efficient vehicles at the annual ... Read more »

Brewers Meet 2020 Carbon Target Eight Years Early

December 23, 2013 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

The UK brewing industry has met its 2020 carbon target — to reduce carbon emissions by 67 percent compared to 1990 levels — eight years early and is on track to achieve its 2020 target for improved water efficiency, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says. The industry has ... Read more »

New Life for Christmas Trees as Car Parts?

December 23, 2013December 23, 2013 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

A tree-based, renewable alternative to fiberglass for use in auto parts is the culmination of a collaboration between the Lincoln Motor Company, Weyerhaeuser and Johnson Controls. Using tree-harvested natural fibers in place of traditional glass-based fibers, Weyerhaeuser created Cellulose Reinforced Polypropylene. The product, which the company says is lighter and ... Read more »

Method Could Lower Titanium’s Cost, Environmental Footprint

December 18, 2013 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle

A new method for extracting titanium could lower its cost and make it more widely accessible, for example, for producing lighter car parts to improve fuel efficiency, according to research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Zhigang Zak Fang and colleagues write that while titanium is the ... Read more »

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