The project ACCEL is a "Vinnova produktion2030" that aims to develop and understand advanced chemical steel compositions and gain insight into their behavior during laser welding and laser cutting operations. This can lead to higher energy efficiency of the processes along with higher robustness and eliminate certain operations in the production chain.
During the project, a new test bed will be developed for faster adaptation and understanding of steel chemistry in weld-like conditions, which enables accelerated production development.

STEEL S4 EV aims at putting high strength steel at the forefront of a new trend in electric vehicles: light vehicles with three or four wheels that comply with crash regulation and with more restrictive Euro NCAP demands. Weld joint design and welding methodologies research to keep material properties along the joints assuring robustness and long term durability.
To do this cost competitively low investment manufacturing will be achieved by a modular and flexible structural design: a complex 3D skeleton frame of welded tubes, bent with high accuracy using programmed laser cuts will enable different vehicles sharing the same tooling.
http://www.steel-s4-ev.eu/

The project will strengthen the region's business community and increase cross-border trade, exports and internationalization at the region's SMEs, using the new business opportunities that a circular economy offers.
By identifying products that have high potential for eco design, developing circular business models and using advanced additive manufacturing processes in different case studies, the project will demonstrate opportunities for re-manufacturing, which in turn will contribute to an increasing proportion of companies that export circular products.

3D printing of metals is gaining a growing importance in the industry during recent years. This technology, specifically known as additive manufacturing (AM), is based on the rapid melting of the metallic powder and on its solidification into the desired forms by focussed lasers or electron beams. The feedstock materials are made by sophisticated powders of metallic alloys that require complex processes to be manufactured and handled, they are very expensive and still not specifically tuned to the printing processes.