EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: DT/F006268/1
Title: Light Weighting of off-road Engineering Vehicles
Principal Investigator: Williams, Professor SW
Other Investigators:
Irving, Professor P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Sch of Applied Sciences
Organisation: Cranfield University
Scheme: Technology Programme
Starts: 01 January 2008 Ends: 31 December 2010 Value (£): 195,474
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Design Engineering Materials Processing
Surfaces & Interfaces
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine Manufacturing
Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The objective of this proposal is to significantly reduce the weight of off road engineering vehicles, thus reducing their through life carbon footprint as well as the cost of material and manufacturing and so increase their competitive position in the global market. This will be done by optimising component design, specifically for a fatigue limited application and adopting a tailor welded blank approach by placing steel grades and thicknesses in the locations necessary. Several advanced automated welding techniques will be explored to greatly increase welding speed and efficiency as well as eliminating processes which have adverse health effects. A new,novel welding rod for higher strength steel will also be developed which induces compressive stresses through phase changes as it cools. Consequently this will increase fatigue performance and offer a further improvement to the innovative design philoshopy and welding regime proposed.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.cranfield.ac.uk