MELComp2 - Mutiplex Energy Laser Consolidation of Continuous Fibre Aluminium Matrix Composites 2

A new laser-based process fuses aluminium and ceramic fibres into a material as strong as steel but light enough to cut vehicle weight. Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) have long promised lighter cars and planes, but high production costs and slow manufacturing have kept them out of mass production. This project tackles both problems by combining a multiplex energy laser consolidation (MELC) process with advanced 3D weaving, aiming to produce AMC components rapidly, with less energy and waste. If successful, the technique could meet the automotive industry’s tough cost targets, making lightweight parts affordable for everyday cars and delivery vans. Lighter vehicles burn less fuel, cutting CO₂ emissions both during manufacturing and over years of driving. Unlike carbon fibre composites, AMCs resist higher temperatures, are tougher, do not corrode when touching aluminium structures, and can be recycled. The project does not invent a new material but solves the manufacturing bottleneck that has kept a promising one on the shelf. The result could quietly reshape supply chains for vehicle body panels, brake components, and structural parts—systems most drivers never think about, but that determine how much fuel a vehicle uses.