High-performance lightweight steel sandwiches for constructions hoists

Purpose and goal:

The aim of the project is to reduce climate impact of Alimak´s construction lifts, primarily through the development of lightweight constructions based on fossil-free steel. The project is thus expected to deliver a demonstrator, based on sandwich material, evaluated in Alimak´s test tower with regard to load-bearing capacity and deflection. In aim to facilitate product design, great emphasis is placed on creating time-efficient simulation models of the sandwich structure.

The results are expected to enable the manufacture of lightweight components based on fossil-free steel. Expected results and effects:

The result from the project includes increased understanding of how sandwich materials should be designed, manufactured and modelled. This, in combination with increased understanding of the fossil-free steel´s properties, is expected to have the effect that Alimak´s climate footprint can be reduced. In the longer term, the effect is that these lightweight constructions can be modified and applied in other sectors of society.

Approach and implementation:

The project runs over three years and is divided into six work packages for which there are planned milestones and deliverables. Initially, time will be spent on experimental work for material characterization as well as numerical studies of sandwich concepts. Then there is the manufacture of developed concepts as well as experimental validation and development of simulation strategies. Finally, demonstrators are manufactured for evaluation of the sandwich concept in realistic conditions.