REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION WITH NEW GMT PROCESSES

AI Quick Summary

Thematic focusMCAM is the global market leader in the production of GMT semi-finished products that are used to substitute metals, often in the automotive industry.The focus of this project is to significantly reduce the energy consumption to produce GMT-products by reorganizing the entire manufacturing process. Currently, semi-finished GMT-products are manufactured at MCAM’s sites, shipped to the customers, reheated, and then processed into the final parts. The idea of this project is to design a new GMT-process where semi-finished products are produced at the customer’s site that then can directly be processed into the final products. This allows a significant reduction of the energy consumption by reducing heating and cooling steps as well as shipping of semi-finished products.The manufacturing of the semi-finished products (process and IP) stays in the hands of MCAM, as the customers are not interested in building up the entire knowhow for GMT-products. Therefore, it is necessary that the solution provided by MCAM is ready-to-use.The concept would be analogue to the packaging companies, e.g. ALPLA Group, Resilux, which are producing the packaging at the customer's production site to avoid transportation and quality issues. Besides technological challenges, it would be a new business model for MCAM. Degree of innovationToday, the manufacturing of semi-finished GMT-products takes place at the producer’s site and the final reheating and pressing of the components at the customer’s site. One reason for this is that the production of GMT-products is complex and needs a high level of knowhow.With this project idea, the manufacturing process for MCAM’s GMT-products is adapted by reducing process steps. Therefore, a new processing technology needs to be developed. The challenge is to design this process in a way that the customers can handle it without the specific knowhow.This project idea would be a new business model in this industry. EffectThe EU has decided that the emissions of automobiles must be reduced by 55% until 2030 and 100% until 2035 (European Commission: European Green Deal, 2021). Therefore, also the manufacturers of components in the automotive industry must drastically minimize the emissions of their products.This project idea allows MCAM to keep their position as market leader and stay competitive as automotive supplier because they can dramatically reduce CO2 emissions by reducing heating and cooling steps in the process chain. According to a CO2-analysis, there are 0.1kgCO2 per kgGMT are emitted for reheating a standard GMT.The project idea also complies with MCAM’s climate target to be climate-neutral by 2023 and climate-negative by 2030. Methodological qualityThe methodology in this project is according to the work packages (see scope and tasks).The IWK has knowhow in the field of process optimization, GMT and LFT-D (direct processing of GMT inline). Additionally, the machine park with extruders and presses allows to perform basic tests for validating of the concept. This allows an efficient and goal-oriented working strategy, together with MCAM’s expertise of GMT products and processes. Gender and diversityThere are male and female experts working on the project at both MCAM and IWK. Scope and tasksThe following tasks will be executed by the IWK if not declared otherwise. WP1: Concept development 01.01.2023 – 01.05.2023Analysis of the current process--> IWK, MCAMConception of the new business model and processSystemic evaluation of the different concepts--> IWK, MCAM WP2: Tests and Validation 01.05.2023 – 30.09.2023Proof of concept / Tests of the concept with prototypesValidation of the concept--> IWK, MCAMConclusions BudgetThe detailed budget including the distributions of the budget between the project partners is attached to this application.Here is a summary of the budget:Total project budget (funding + personnel costs MCAM): CHF 33'422Seed money from the Innovation Booster Plastics for Zero Emission: CHF 25'000Mandatory assessment of CO2 reduction potential (external experts): CHF 1'000

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION WITH NEW GMT PROCESSES
• Date: 10/14/2022 10:23:28 AM
• Administrators:
  • Karin Brändli Hedlund

Project Idea Description

Thematic focus

MCAM is the global market leader in the production of GMT semi-finished products that are used to substitute metals, often in the automotive industry.

The focus of this project is to significantly reduce the energy consumption to produce GMT-products by reorganizing the entire manufacturing process. Currently, semi-finished GMT-products are manufactured at MCAM’s sites, shipped to the customers, reheated, and then processed into the final parts. The idea of this project is to design a new GMT-process where semi-finished products are produced at the customer’s site that then can directly be processed into the final products. This allows a significant reduction of the energy consumption by reducing heating and cooling steps as well as shipping of semi-finished products.

The manufacturing of the semi-finished products (process and IP) stays in the hands of MCAM, as the customers are not interested in building up the entire knowhow for GMT-products. Therefore, it is necessary that the solution provided by MCAM is ready-to-use.

The concept would be analogue to the packaging companies, e.g. ALPLA Group, Resilux, which are producing the packaging at the customer's production site to avoid transportation and quality issues. Besides technological challenges, it would be a new business model for MCAM.

Degree of innovation

Today, the manufacturing of semi-finished GMT-products takes place at the producer’s site and the final reheating and pressing of the components at the customer’s site. One reason for this is that the production of GMT-products is complex and needs a high level of knowhow.

With this project idea, the manufacturing process for MCAM’s GMT-products is adapted by reducing process steps. Therefore, a new processing technology needs to be developed. The challenge is to design this process in a way that the customers can handle it without the specific knowhow.

This project idea would be a new business model in this industry.

Effect

The EU has decided that the emissions of automobiles must be reduced by 55% until 2030 and 100% until 2035 (European Commission: European Green Deal, 2021). Therefore, also the manufacturers of components in the automotive industry must drastically minimize the emissions of their products.

This project idea allows MCAM to keep their position as market leader and stay competitive as automotive supplier because they can dramatically reduce CO2 emissions by reducing heating and cooling steps in the process chain. According to a CO2-analysis, there are 0.1kgCO2 per kgGMT are emitted for reheating a standard GMT.

The project idea also complies with MCAM’s climate target to be climate-neutral by 2023 and climate-negative by 2030.

Methodological quality

The methodology in this project is according to the work packages (see scope and tasks).

The IWK has knowhow in the field of process optimization, GMT and LFT-D (direct processing of GMT inline). Additionally, the machine park with extruders and presses allows to perform basic tests for validating of the concept. This allows an efficient and goal-oriented working strategy, together with MCAM’s expertise of GMT products and processes.

Gender and diversity

There are male and female experts working on the project at both MCAM and IWK.

Scope and tasks

The following tasks will be executed by the IWK if not declared otherwise.

WP1: Concept development 01.01.2023 – 01.05.2023

• Analysis of the current process

--> IWK, MCAM

• Conception of the new business model and process
• Systemic evaluation of the different concepts

--> IWK, MCAM

WP2: Tests and Validation 01.05.2023 – 30.09.2023

• Proof of concept / Tests of the concept with prototypes
• Validation of the concept

--> IWK, MCAM

• Conclusions

Budget

The detailed budget including the distributions of the budget between the project partners is attached to this application.

Here is a summary of the budget:

• Total project budget (funding + personnel costs MCAM): CHF 33'422
• Seed money from the Innovation Booster Plastics for Zero Emission: CHF 25'000
• Mandatory assessment of CO2 reduction potential (external experts): CHF 1'000