What strategies are there for minimizing resource consumption in the light metals industry through recycling and energy efficiency? How can lightweight construction make mobility more sustainable? And what role will artificial intelligence play in the future processes of the metallurgical industry? These and other questions will be addressed at the 13th Ranshofen Light Metals Days 2024, to be held at the Hotel Gut Brandlhof in Saalfelden on 26 and 27 September 2024. The event is organized by the LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology.
Recent scientific findings
Under the title “Light Metals Innovations for Environmental and Economic Sustainability”, an exciting program awaits participants on the topics of digitalization and decarbonization in the field of process and materials development as well as material characterization of light metals. A balanced spectrum of international lectures from university, non-university and industrial research provides a current overview of the latest scientific findings and successful new light metal applications. Each presentation has the character of a premiere and thus offers a unique information advantage for visitors to the conference. For the first time, simultaneous translation (German-English) will be provided for all lectures, in order to offer all international guests an optimal service.
Top-class sessions, first-class speakers
The individual lectures are thematically assigned to the following three sessions:
- Digitalization in the context of circularity
- Sustainable process development
- Innovative light metals and their characterization
The sessions will be introduced by three exciting keynotes:
- Dr. Werner Fragner (AMAG Austria Metall AG):
Is it all AI or what? - DI Christian Vogl (MAGNA International Europe GmbH):
Megatrends driving the evolution of mobility
Prof. Randi Holmestad (NTNU): - Advanced TEM studies of precipitation in aluminium alloys
The 13th Ranshofen Light Metals Days in 2024 will thus be clearly focused on decarbonization and digitalization – even in these times of many challenges. The first session, “Digitalization in the Context of Circularity”, will address topics including best practice examples from the aluminum industry, the balance between sustainability and performance in metal processing, and the implementation of complex geometries using wire-based additive manufacturing. The second session, “Sustainable Process Development”, will focus on the decarbonization of industrial processes and the reduction of material input, for example through GigaCasting, or the use of innovative recycling technologies. The third session, “Innovative Light Metals and their Characterization,” will cover forward-looking topics such as the development of special aluminum alloys for additive manufacturing, the use of scrap from old cars for novel alloys, and the decarbonization of the magnesium industry.
At the accompanying industrial exhibition, renowned companies from industry, research and testing technology will present the latest trends and technologies from their fields. And in a poster exhibition, scientists will provide insights into current research results. This “marketplace” for industry and science, as well as the traditional evening reception of the Light Metals Days, offer excellent opportunities for networking and promote the development of project ideas and business relationships.
Lightweight design as a key technology of the future
DI Mag. Walter Mauritsch MA from the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) will open the conference. He emphasizes the importance of lightweight design for future mobility solutions and beyond: “Lightweight design is a key technology for the future and plays a central role in vehicle and mechanical engineering, in the aerospace industry, as well as in medical technology and the construction industry. Lighter materials and innovative designs geared towards a circular economy help to save resources and energy. This is crucial for both climate protection and the competitiveness of the Austrian economy. As a driver of innovation, lightweight design makes an important contribution to the goals of the mobility master plan and the circular economy strategy. The BMK is working closely with European partners from industry, research and administration to further develop lightweight design expertise and to quickly make innovations available to society.”
The Light Metal Days as a Green Event
Dr. Christian Chimani, Head of the Center for Transport Technologies at AIT and Managing Director of LKR, gives an outlook on the conference: “Top-class speakers, a renowned industrial exhibition and an impressive conference location make the Light Metal Days 2024 a unique opportunity to find solutions to the current challenges facing the industry. At the same time, we want our event to make an active contribution to environmental and climate protection: the Ranshofen Light Metal Days will be organized according to the criteria of the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Events.”
We would like to thank the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK), AMAG Austria Metall AG, 4A engineering GmbH, iba Austria AG, Nedschroef, UAR Upper Austrian Research GmbH and voestalpine AG for their support!
About LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen
With many years of experience in research and innovation for the lightweight design of the future, AIT's LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen is a leader in the development of high-quality light metal alloys, their sustainable processing through to the development of functionally integrated lightweight components and their recycling. Thanks to this holistic research approach, which is supported by simulation methods, new technologies such as wire-based additive manufacturing of aluminum and magnesium as well as innovative casting and forming processes are emerging. Based on these new methods and know-how in the entire processing chain, the lightweight components developed by the LKR are widely used in the automotive and aviation and aerospace sectors. The LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen is characterized by an excellent team of scientists, the highest level of methodological expertise, and many years of experience in managing international research projects.
Related links
13th Ranshofen Light Metals Conference 2024