STTR Phase I: Development of an Innovative Warm Hydroforming System for Lightweight Alloys

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will address the challenges caused by rising fuel prices, environmental concerns, and international market pressures which are driving the urgent need to seek innovative ways to conserve energy by improving fuel efficiency in vehicular transportation. Substantial gains in fuel economy may be made by reducing vehicle weight through novel uses of lightweight materials, such as aluminum and magnesium alloys, but there are barriers in forming aluminum and magnesium alloys at room temperature. The warmforming process can help overcome some of those barriers. This project will address the challenges of implementing the warmforming process. The broader impact/commercial significance from the technology will be a solution for the automobile manufacturers to be able to design and fabricate lightweight vehicular components which can reduce fuel consumption. This project fosters collaboration between academic research and small business to address this high-risk high-payoff challenge that is timely, relevant, and critical in the effort to conserve energy and bolster the U.S. manufacturing base and automobile manufacturers.