Stuttgart/Salzburg – Vehicle construction as well as the aerospace industry are innovation drivers for lightweight construction solutions. The “lightweights” are becoming increasingly important in machine construction, rail transport as well as in boat and yacht building. With its concept that is consistently aimed towards the lightweight construction process chain, euroLITE facilitates an extensive overview on the latest developments in construction and simulation tools, materials, manufacturing technology, building components tests and serial production. In addition, the theme parks join and connect as well as surface technology offer information. The 3-day euroLITE lightweight construction forum rounds up the program of the international trade fair for lightweight construction which will take place in Salzburg (Austria) from June 24th to 26th, 2008.
For the 2nd euroLITE, 180% of the previous year’s surface has already been booked. The international trade fair for lightweight construction 2008 will therefore be two times larger than the first event. The exhibitors’ range comprises of tools for development, construction and simulation, prototypes and model building, materials, manufacturing technology, serial production of lightweight construction components, joining technique, surface treatment and systems and methods of building components tests, services and research.
Lightweight construction solutions which bring advantages in competition
Particularly in the vehicle industry as well as aerospace, innovative solutions which will fulfil identical or higher demands at maximum economy of weight and be economically realised are being called for. That is exactly what the euroLITE exhibitors in Salzburg will be presenting. New developments in fibre-reinforced plastics as well as in metallic materials and hybrid materials are included. Innovative manufacturing methods will also be introduced such as thixocasting with which geometrically complex lightweight construction components are manufactured in net-shape quality without subsequent mechanical handling and hence saving on costs. Serially produced building components such as lightweight construction security systems with large energy absorption potential or crash-pads with integrated cable harness will be presented. If it involves designing building components and their behaviour, the euroLIT exhibitors will present tools which further accelerate the product development process, optimise the choice of materials and make it possible to better predict the failure of lightweight structures. New methods in finite element software facilitate modelling of thin-walled structures, the illustration of fibre optimisation in composites or the improved evaluation of the “transverse shear”.
Theme parks join and connect as well as surface technology
Simulation tools for designing connections such as modelling wiring will be introduced. The join and connect theme park moreover presents innovative developments among others for resistance spot-welding, from the pressing technique and for sticking. The exhibitors at the surface technology theme park inform about methods and technologies for improving the qualities of surfaces for example through shot peening, heat treatment and thin film technique.
Lightweight construction forum – extensive know-how on “lightweights”
Parallel to euroLITE 2008, the Landshut lightweight construction cluster is organising a three-day lightweight construction forum. Subjects to be focused on in the outstanding speeches by experts in research, development, from universities and the industry are new developments and current trends in the field of construction, materials and manufacturing technologies in lightweight construction. On the program, there are topics such as system lightweight construction through conceptual shifting of demands as a contribution to the development of effective lightweight constructions, EcoSpace cockpit: an innovative steel-plastic structure which in comparison to conventional solutions saves more than 20% weight while offering identical protection of the occupants, parameter studies of a new composite metal connection with the help of finite element methods, lightweight construction material aluminium – from material development to high-tech usage in the automobile industry and many more.
The extensive and representative range makes euroLITE a presentation, information and acquisition platform for constructors, development engineers, designers, production managers and purchasers as well as decision-makers from management. At the same time, the trade fair which is unique in the whole of Europe creates impulses for new applications and cooperation.
Further information, the possibility of pre-registration to visit euroLITE and participation in the free lightweight construction forum as well as a temporary list of exhibitors is available online on <link http: www.eurolite-expo.eu>www.euroLITE-expo.eu.
