20-21 November 2019, Gothenburg, Sweden
The LIGHTer International Conference is LIGHTer’s main platform for international collaborations for new lightweight solutions. LIGHTer is the national multi-sectorial lightweight arena in Sweden. At the core of the conference are LIGHTer’s research innovation themes, which we have identified as our main ways to reach our goals concerning competitiveness and cross-industrial collaborations.
Theme 1: 50% lighter with lower costs
New innovative lightweight solutions are too often not commercialized due to cost reasons. This innovation theme focuses on new more effective materials, manufacturing processes and design methodologies that will lower the cost, thus enabling new lightweight solutions to enter the market.
Theme 2: 50% lighter with shorter development times
Another hurdle to overcome is the often longer product design and development time for new and innovative lightweight components. These can be reduced by, for instance, enhanced use of simulation tools and optimization in early stages of product development.
Theme 3: 50% lighter using mixed materials
The ability to use the right material in the right place in a product design is an important possibility for weight reduction. The aim is to achieve improved performance by combining different materials in lightweight components. Some key challenges are joining, prediction of product properties and creating circular material loops.
Theme 4: 50% lighter using improved properties and innovative solutions
Improved material properties enable lighter components. Some examples are thinner product designs, optimized designs thanks to better abrasion or corrosion resistance, and combined or innovative functions within the mechanical structure (so-called multi-functionality). New technological solutions can open up for radically lighter products.