LIGHTest – A test bed where material development meets the lightweight production of the future
LIGHTest aims to provide a live test and demonstration facility for products and systems made in new materials, with a focus on end-to-end solutions that have a sustainable life cycle. Our test beds are ideal for the future production of lightweight products using smart material solutions.
Background
Increasing demands are being placed on products both now and for the future. A lower weight, longer service life and better recycling are all needed for sustainable development and increased competitiveness. New materials play a crucial role in achieving these goals.
In order to verify new solutions before they are scaled up in high-volume production, Swedish industry needs a test environment that is independent of the traditional supply chains, one where quality-assured testing can be carried out confidentially. This is what the LIGHTest test bed intends to offer.
Its purpose is to help industry test material properties for products and system solutions. The test bed should be a node that provides expertise and infrastructure within advanced materials, manufacturing methods and recycling technologies. Small and large companies will also get the chance to collaborate around pre-development and verification projects.
The test bed virtually connects multiple stakeholders and currently consists of two nodes:
• The RISE facility in Olofström, which offers metal forming and joining of separate materials into a composite structure. Here, experts can help you with sheet metal forming, multimaterials, measurement methods, answering tool questions and simulations.
• The composite development environment at the RISE plant in Piteå, for the high-rate production of fibre composite and multimaterial solutions. Here, experts can assist you with composite materials, simulations, manufacturing methods and test methods.