PARIS, France, Jan 14, 2021 – ESI Group, global player in virtual prototyping for industries, is to develop lightweight, recyclable and cost-efficient aluminum solutions for the automotive market along with Constellium, Groupe Renault, Institut de Soudure (Welding Institute) and the University of Lorraine within the ISA3 project.
Project ISA3 aims to further lightweight vehicles by accelerating automakers’ transition from steel to aluminum. The project will focus on alloys and solutions that enable closed loop recycling.
“We are very excited about Project ISA3 and the opportunity to further demonstrate Constellium’s commitment to providing sustainable solutions to its automotive customers. We believe this project will advance aluminum’s position in the automotive market as manufacturers seek to reduce carbon emissions and expand their electric vehicle offerings. This partnership with a strategic customer allows us to explore solutions that can apply to a wide range of vehicles and deliver both environmental and economic benefits,” said Jack Clark, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Excellence and Chief Technical Officer. “Further, working with our partners on end-of-life recycling is an exciting opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of the entire automotive aluminum supply chain.”
Patrice Belliard, Expert, Flat Products at Groupe Renault, added: “We need to reduce the cost per kilogram saved on automotive parts, especially aluminum parts. The ISA3 project aims to reduce the price per kilogram by half on aluminum doors. This is essential to continue to lightweight vehicles by using aluminum in the future.”
Pierre Culière, Pre-Certification & Validation Outcome Director, ESI Group, commented: “To enable faster and more accurate development, the ISA3 project will rely on ESI Group’s solutions and team of experts. Thanks to our ‘Pre-certification & Validation’ and ‘Smart Manufacturing’ solutions, we will help to develop and validate the design and manufacturing of the aluminum doors without the need for physical prototypes.”
Project ISA3 focuses on the design and development of aluminum automotive doors that would be 15% lighter than current average aluminum solutions, more efficient to produce, and recyclable at all stages of its life cycle. This €7 million project is to further lightweight vehicles by accelerating automakers’ transition from steel to aluminum. Scheduled to run through 2023 and is partially funded by Bpifrance, it will focus on alloys and solutions that enable closed loop recycling.
About Constellium
Constellium (NYSE: CSTM) is a global sector leader that develops innovative, value added aluminum products for a broad scope of markets and applications, including aerospace, automotive and packaging. Constellium generated €5.9 billion of revenue in 2019.
About ESI Group
Founded in 1973, ESI Group is a leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping solutions and a global enabler of industrial transformation. Thanks to the company’s unique know-how in the physics of materials, it has developed and refined, over the last 45 years, advanced simulation capabilities. Having identified gaps in the traditional approach to Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), ESI has introduced a holistic methodology centered on industrial productivity and product performance throughout its entire lifecycle, i.e. Product Performance Lifecycle, from engineering to manufacturing and in operation.
Present in more than 20 countries, and in major industrial sectors, ESI employs 1200 high level specialists. In 2019, its turnover was 146M€. ESI is headquartered in France and is listed on compartment B of Euronext Paris.
For further information, go to www.esi-group.com.
