Traverse City, Mich. – August 1, 2023 – Auto/Steel Partnership and Michigan Technological University (MTU) have been given an Honorable Mention in the 11th annual Altair Enlighten Award, Future of Lightweighting Award category, for MTU’s senior capstone project work on the Steel E-Motive vehicle. Presented in association with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), the Altair Enlighten Award honors the greatest sustainability and lightweighting advancements that successfully reduce carbon footprint, mitigate water and energy consumption, and leverage material reuse and recycling efforts.
The MTU Senior Capstone Design Team, sponsored by the Auto/Steel Partnership, was challenged to design a new door hinge for the Steel E-Motive side closure mechanism. The current hinge design was provided as a reference, but a few operational issues were identified for this team’s assessment and engineering study. The team successfully addressed these issues, meeting all of the engineering objectives and requirements for a viable, lightweight solution, as set forth by Steel E-Motive engineering partner, Ricardo plc. In addition, a thoughtful assessment of the carbon footprint of different materials was used to settle on an advanced high-strength steel solution.
“The MTU Design Team were able to solve a challenge set forth by a vehicle that represents a brand-new segment: autonomous, electric ride share vehicles,” said Michael Davenport, A/SP executive director. “Their ability to tackle a real-world design challenge and actually 3D print a working model, impressed our members. It is a great pleasure to see their work recognized in this award.”
A/SP extends congratulations to the MTU Senior Capstone team:
Watch the project video created by the student team:
As the industry’s only award dedicated to vehicle lightweighting, the Enlighten Award drives automotive companies toward a more sustainable future. Altair is proud to recognize cutting-edge technological advancements that minimize energy consumption and carbon missions.
“The winners of the Enlighten Award showcase the latest revolutionary technologies and approaches that reduce carbon footprint, minimize waste, and maximize renewable energy,” said Richard Yen, senior vice president, global industry verticals and sales enablement team, Altair. “We hope this award continues to inspire future generations to ‘think light’ for many decades to come.”
The 2023 Altair Enlighten Award winners were announced in an awards ceremony on August 1, 2023. For more information on the Altair Enlighten Award and to see the full list of winners, please visit the Award site.
To learn more about Michigan Technology University initiatives, visit their website.
To learn more about Steel E-Motive and download the Ricardo vehicle engineering report, visit steelemotive.world.
About Auto/Steel Partnership
A/SP leverages the resources of automotive, steel and related organizations to enable innovations in design optimization and manufacturing technologies for achieving sustainable mobility solutions. We pass on these innovations through education for the industry and community, supporting the realization of technology and sustainability benefits through a skilled workforce. To learn more about A/SP, visit our website at www.a-sp.org