MULTHEM: Developing Lightweight and Cost-Effective Solutions for Sustainable Transport
The Horizon Europe project MULTHEM (Multi-material Additive Manufacturing for Lightweight and Thermal Management) aims at developing lighter, more efficient, and cost-effective solutions to support the energy and material transition in transport markets. The transport sector accounts for approximately 16% of the global carbon emissions and has identified fleet electrification as the primary route to achieving climate neutrality.
Important challenges on this route are the current weight of components and the cost of new systems to ensure efficiency and long-term sustainability. Carbon fiber composites have been increasingly used to replace metals in products requiring lightweight features, but due to the traditional manufacturing process and poor thermal conductivity, the use of carbon fiber composites has been limited to structural applications. For instance, battery casings, electrical motors, and power electronics housings are often crafted entirely from aluminium due to their need for efficient heat dissipation.
The MULTHEM project is set to develop a reliable and validated carbon fiber composite additive manufacturing process to construct products with different material combinations and functionalities. This innovative approach will allow the development of components, such as battery and motor housings with dual functionality comprising structural and cooling features that are lighter and stronger than aluminium or steel.
TNO / Brightlands Materials Center is a partner in this ambitious project together with FUNDACION CETEMET, Brunel University London, Fraunhofer IPK, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), ÉireComposites Teo, Thales, Prima Additive and Airelectric.
Project website: www.multhem.eu
More information:
For more information about the MULTHEM project and the expertise that Brightlands Materials Center and TNO bring to the project, please contact the Business Development Manager of our Sustainable Mobility program line, Richard Janssen.
