Powder to Powertrain

European regulations stipulate a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions for automotive vehicles, this can only be achieved by lightweighting of the vehicles themselves alongside more efficient engine and drivetrain technologies. Current engine designs require higher operating temperatures alongside higher combusion pressures, these can only be achieved with the use of metal composite components. Metal composites have proven to be a successful engine component material for motorsport applications, however the cost restrictions on commerical automotive vehicles has prohitited the use of these materials for larger volume applications. The POWder to POWertrain (POW2) program will examine the issues to realise the larger volume manufacturing of metal composite automtive drivetrain components, focusing on pistons. The project will conocentrate on low cost routes for metal composite production and the shaping and machining of the final piston components and will aim to achieve a cost reduction of 50% compared to current conventional manfacturing routes for metal composite components.