Disruption process in the light metal casting industry
Sebastian Rothenberg, independent consultant and expert for casting innovation with 14 years’ experience at Mercedes Benz and Georg Fischer AG, reveals the metal casting industry in a dramatic transition. The European automotive market has come under pressure from the segmentation of the global economy and new market players with disruptive approaches, he says. “The light metal casting industry is under strong pressure to innovate and cut costs due to a shrinking market segment.” Traditional OEMs follow incremental innovation with complex assemblies and supplier networks, whereas Neo-OEMs, particularly in China and the US, leverage gigacasting and full-stack control to simplify architecture, reduce costs by approximately 30 percent and accelerate time-to-market. He distinguishes 3 segmented markets with different characteristics and market participants. With the exception of Tesla, there are no relevant neo-OEMs in the EU and the US. In the Chinese market, there is a fierce competition between the various neo-OEMs. The winners are pushing into the European market with European plants. The tonnages in gigacasting and the number of integrated components continue to increase. Neo-OEMs have the advantage that they build greenfield and can therefore invest more easily in new production technology, Rothenberg concludes. Exports to China in 2024 were at their lowest level since 2015. The trend among OEMs is bringing all expertise inhouse, thus increasing competition and putting the supplier market under enormous pressure. Rothenberg demonstrates what changes are necessary to find the way back to success. Novel design methods like bionic mesh design help to speed-up the development process. “AI significantly improves high pressure die casting capabilities, transforming it into a more adaptive, precise, and efficient manufacturing process.” His recommendation: to invest in ≥ 5,500 t HPDC machinery and large-part integration expertise and build simulation and design capabilities for highly integrated structural parts. Larger HPDC machinery also better meet the needs of neo-OEMs, thereby compensating for the loss of revenue from traditional OEMs.
With 3,100 customers in 50 countries worldwide, Germany-based Druckguss Service Deutschland GmbH has developed a competitive response and is banking on the duo cast technology “for the next generation of hybrid manufacturing”. Timo Hadenfeldt, head of software development and automation engineering, describes the challenges and opportunities of hybrid manufacturing technology and the future-fetched path his company has taken. In addition to significant advantages in pure die casting, this machine technology offers completely new possibilities for hybrid production. The special design of the machine makes it possible to combine or parallelise several processes in one machine in a very small space. 2 mould chambers are available. With a second injection unit, different materials can also be processed simultaneously. The use of servo motors ensures an energy-efficient drive solution. Many of the hydraulic movements can be driven directly from the pump due to the high dynamic performance of this drive design, whereby power and thus consumption are only incurred when actually required. This results in total energy savings of up to 30% compared to machines with the same clamping force. “We can only score points with new technologies and new ways of thinking,” Hadenfeldt points out. Therefore, in his opinion, one of the most important aspects is the software architecture of the entire system. This allows to respond quickly to changes in processes or machine designs. “During development, we paid close attention to the interfaces between the various components. We can easily replace individual components as needed.” The Hydrun research project at the ILK in Dresden, which received funding, resulted in significant process optimisations. This means that new processes can be integrated into the existing machine technology without making extensive changes to the basic machine software.
Dr. Andreas Palinsky, head of R&D composite and electrical from CTP Advanced Materials GmbH, the German subsidiary of the global player Aditya Birla Advanced Materials presented the recyclamine technology of the 65 billion conglomerate with 178 manufacturing units globally. Briozen is the umbrella brand for the overall sustainability concept and includes among the recyclable Recyclamine activities also a bio-based recyclable epoxy with a 100% bio-based carbon content. A professional plant for recyclamines in Rayong, Thailand is getting in operation mid of 2025. Recyclamine-based resin systems can be used for various applications like watersports equipment (diving fins, light-weight windsurf and kite-boards), composite skis, kayaks as well as in the wind energy sector. Siemens Gamesa is using them for its recyclable wind turbine blades. Whereas the thermoplastic resin for recyclable composites like Elium offered by Arkema are much more complex in the manufacturing process than Briozen, thermoplastic recycling is however more advantageous. The interest from wind energy producers is very high, as no changes to process technology are necessary, Palinsky explains.
Bundling European expertise to submit joint EU project
Greencompas, a funded project by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, is a consortium bundling the expertise of 7 European countries (Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Romania and Greece) with regard to the sustainable production of raw materials, the processing of biomaterials and the development of recyclable high-performance products. Dr. Albert Langkamp, research associate at TU Dresden, institute of lightweight engineering and polymer technology (ILK), provided insight. Compas is geared to find and use synergies to generate new solutions, technologies and products. During the lightweight engineering symposium, a workshop was held during which ideas for joint projects were worked out.
Standardise circulation processes in aviation and automotive
In the conference bloc “aerospace structures”, Diehl aviation, a leading system supplier of aircraft system and cabin solutions, represented by Dr. Dietmar Völkle, director research strategic business segment cabin interiors, gave an overview on innovations for sustainable cabin structures. The industry is required to look 20-30 years into the future to define recycling processes that create added value. Since aviation needs to generate standards, functional properties are crucial when it comes to choose the right recycling material. To achieve material circularity comparable to those in the automotive industry, processes need to be standardised. In all approaches, the primary goal is to create weight-improved design, weight reduction through innovative materials and automated technology and in second place comes recyclability. A weight saving of 1 kg means 200 litres less kerosene. Recyclability only represents an added value, if the recycled material can ultimately be reused and still represents a value in terms of its functionality at the end, Völkle summarises. In his presentation, he therefore focuses on examples in the field of the application of particle foams and sandwich constructions consisting of a basis polymer with integrated reinforcing fibres. Monomaterial compounds are a prerequisite. He showed the example of innovative air outlets made of granulated foam plastic that offer various benefits in lightweight construction and in manufacturing processes. In the future, the innovative material will allow the efficient manufacturing of numerous cabin components, e.g., air outlets with changing requirements in cooling and heating operation of the aircraft air conditioning system. The technologies not only make faster customisation processes, lower cost and weight reduction possible, they are, above all, ecologically efficient. A solution could be to standardise the circulation processes in aviation and automotive and find synergies, as the quantities of material in aviation are too small. The goal in finding common ground is even more challenging, since recyclable materials in aviation are of higher quality than in automotive.
Challenge to develop materials that are independent of rare earths
Rolls-Royce approach to net zero carbon is to maximise the efficiencies available to continually improve in-service fleet while developing options for future aircraft. The leading engine supplier in business aviation bets on gas technology and sustainable aviation fuels to power the majority of aircrafts out to 2050. The corresponding solutions depend on aircraft size, power and range. Dr. Roland Wilhelm, chief of technology partnerships, Germany, Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG, raises the question of how we can manage to develop materials that are independent on rare earths in the future. Rolls-Royce has a wide range of research partners around Germany that contribute with their respective core competencies to solve future requirements in civil aviation. With a broad network of research and industry partners, Rolls-Royce is driving forward innovative solutions like hybrid intermediate casings, weight optimised 3D-printed brackets, additive manufactured combustor tiles to incorporate high efficient wall-cooling schemes with 3D geometries and approximately 20% less air consumption. Rolls-Royce is the only one in Europe to operate a technology demonstrator that helps to save cost, weight and fuel burn by increasing time on wing at the same time. “Aviation has ever since played a major role in human progress, connecting people and continents. As engineers, we feel upon to do everything we can to reduce the carbon footprint by implementing sustainable solutions”, Wilhelm gets to the point.
Opportunities and hurdles of autonomous electric flying were demonstrated in the presentation of Axel Schober, AEF Germany. A smart mobility lab (SML) for automated flying and autonomous systems is planned at the research campus of TU Dresden for 2026. Groundbreaking was the approval given to the first car manufacturer Mercedes Benz by the end of 2024 for automated driving up to 95 kilometres per hour. The driving system Drive Pilot is the fastest certified system for conditionally automated driving in a standard production vehicle. Safety remains the top priority. This is why the system has a redundant design, which means that important functions such as electrics, steering and braking are made in duplicate. If necessary, the system is always able to transfer the driving task back to the person behind the steering wheel. Autonomous operated flight systems are currently in test and evaluation stage for advanced air mobility. Since it is just a small step from test stage into final certification for the commercial usage, experts call for more test centres implementing real-world laboratories that could drive development forward.
From 2040 onwards, Volkswagen Group aims to use 40% circular materials
Circular economy is already technically possible, but cost intensive. Primary materials are still cheaper than recycled ones. Strong partners along the value chain are necessary to implement efficient circular economy, concludes Dr. Robert Thomas, team lead high performance metals, Volkswagen Group Innovation, in his presentation. With its regenerate+ strategy, the Volkswagen Group aims to be using 40% circular materials in its vehicles from 2040 onwards (excluding China). Thomas gives insight into the ongoing internal research project RUMSS (re-use of materials through shredding and sorting).
Isa Hofmann, editorial contributor
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