Technical potential assessment and life cycle analysis (P 1059 / Pre-Competitive Cooperative Industrial Research Project (IGF) No. 25 LN) RWI, ika

To assess the implementation of lightweight design concepts, it is necessary to carry out an integrated analysis of the entire value-adding chain and of the associated innovation relationships in order to determine feasibility. This also includes a product and process assessment of forged parts from an energy and ecological viewpoint, taking into account the results of the other subprojects and in close collaboration with those responsible for the subprojects within the Research Network.

As part of the Research Network, the overarching SP5 thus assumes an “all-embracing” function across all the subprojects. It presents the economic and ecological implications of the parts developed during the project and it does this at different levels – individual parts, entire vehicle, companies, market and value-adding chain. In addition, potential obstacles will be identified when implementing the results.

SP 5 encompasses the following five work packages (WP):

(WP1) Industry and innovation system analysis (RWI)

(WP2) Know-how transfer and innovation restraints in the process chain (RWI)

(WP3) Potential assessment of the primary weight-reduced reference parts (ika)

(WP4) Analysis of the secondary weight-savings potential (ika)

(WP5) Life Cycle analysis (ika)

The starting point is an industry analysis in order to deepen understanding of the economic significance of innovations (trends, market development and competition). This will be followed by an analysis of the sectoral innovation system. Along the process chain in forging as well as the upstream and downstream value-adding stages, an analysis will be carried out on how the technical solutions developed as part of the collaborative research project can be implemented in company processes. The aim here is to determine the acceptance and receptiveness on the part of providers and customers with respect to innovation processes in collaboratively organized industrial sectors. In addition, the actual and supposed barriers should be revealed and implementation concepts designed. In this context, the impact which switching to the newly developed lightweight parts will have on companies within the value-adding chain will be highlighted. Furthermore, innovation restraints will be revealed and solutions developed for rapid implementation. Beyond identifying innovation restraints, a concept will be developed for successful industrial implementation of lightweight design innovations from an economic perspective.

The technological potential analysis offers support in asserting lightweight design concepts on the market and uses simulations to investigate the potential effect of the total weight reduction in improving energy efficiency and driving safety. The focus will be on both primary and secondary lightweight design effects. It is necessary to generate a method for assessing in an integrated way the potential of new types of lightweight parts, so that feasibility and economic benefit may be analysed. As part of the life cycle analysis, the sustainability of various lightweight design concepts may be investigated and evaluated in a transparent way based on the entire vehicle. An integrated approach will be selected in which primary energy consumption and CO₂ emissions are balanced across the entire life cycle in the sense of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).