Developing new solutions for lightweight metal parts
EXETER/BIRMINGHAM, U.K. - - February 27, 2014 - - Simpleware, provider of 3D image to model solutions, is set to participate in a £887,000 UK research and development project being led by CAD/CAM specialists Delcam. The LIGHT project aims to reduce costs for the UK's automotive, aerospace and engineering sectors by testing and developing new lightweight metal products. The project, launched at Delcam headquarters in Birmingham on December 12th 2013, received £495,000 of funding from the UK's Technology Strategy Board, an agency that focuses on stimulating UK economic growth.
The LIGHT project focuses on the potential of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) to produce advanced lightweight structures and parts for industry. Simpleware is contributing its software development expertise to the research and development of these parts, and is particularly focusing on generating internal lattice structures for SLM. An end-to-end manufacturing simulation and rehearsal tool is also being developed by the project to help predict the manufacturing challenges, performance and costs of lightweight products.
Other partners in the LIGHT project include Bloodhound SSC, HiETA, CRDM/3DSystems, EOS and Magna Parva. The LIGHT project developed out of the three-year SAVING project, also funded by the Technology Strategy Board, which explored the potential for creating sustainable, lightweight products through materials optimisation and SLM.
About Simpleware
Simpleware develops industry-leading software solutions for the conversion of 3D images (as obtained from MRI, CT, micro-CT...) into high quality models for Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), CAD and 3D printing. Simpleware software is used by engineers and researchers in a variety of fields, including: Biomedical Engineering; Materials Research; Oil and Gas; Industrial Reverse Engineering, and Natural Sciences. Customers range from international blue chip corporations to research institutions and universities worldwide. Simpleware software is based on proprietary technology that facilitates the integration of image data with CAD and computational analysis (FEA and CFD) workflows. Unlike other approaches, Simpleware provides the most comprehensive software solution for combining 3D image data import, image processing, meshing and model generation. This means that, with Simpleware, software users can produce better models in a fraction of the time taken with alternative approaches.
For more information on Simpleware, visit: http://www.simpleware.com
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About the LIGHT project
The LIGHT project is supported by the UK's innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, which has the simple aim of accelerating economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is considered as one of the most important emerging material processing technologies that will drive the future manufacturing industry. The geometric complexity offered by SLM, coupled with the freedom of tool-less manufacturing, is compelling. However, in practice complete geometrical freedom is constrained by the overhanging sections where supporting structures are required. The use of sacrificial structures is one of major limitations for SLM. The LIGHT project will implement and validate CAD/CAM solutions for lightweight product applications which utilise novel "self-support" low-density cellular lattice structures to efficiently support internal and external overhanging geometries of lightweight products, inspiring and enhancing new design freedoms.
For more information on the LIGHT Project, visit: http://www.light-project.co.uk
About the Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
This project is co-funded by The Technology Strategy Board, the UK’s innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy.
For more information on the Technology Strategy Board, visit: http://www.innovateuk.org