LightRight

Lightweight design – one of the last decade’s buzzwords. Economically and environmentally indispensable, lightweight structures have the potential to increase resource efficiency, to reduce costs and to enhance the attractiveness of the product.

These data will be collected in four different countries (Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium) and then be matched with existing professional training courses in composites, high strength steels and lightweight metals and alloys (i.e. Al and Mg alloys) to fill the existing training gap and offer a new perspective for industry.

The project LightRight, funded by EIT Raw Materials, intends to respond to these circumstances by developing effective training modules for professionals (technical staff and managers) which provide them with relevant material knowledge for lightweight design

The project’s first step was an awareness workshop in which the challenge of materials for lightweight design was addressed. The workshop was directed at industrial professionals and managers and aimed to provide a forum to share experiences about materials for lightweight design and to identify the knowledge needed by professionals for proper material selection.

The appropriate handling of raw materials in lightweight design structures is the key success factor for preserving resources and reducing costs. Unfortunately, practical experience often shows that designing and handling rules for new materials are not being respected.