SSM-STEEDER is the innovative apparatus and semisolid process that finally allows the market adoption of Al and Mg up to 100% from recycle to manufacture high quality light components for a sustainable EU transport sector. The project involves the high-tech SME InnSight aiming at commercializing the innovations, with the SME Veltman and BREMBO, the renowned world leader in braking systems for final demonstration and industrial approval.
After 5 years R&D conducted within 3 EC projects, 2 patents and a series of successes and useful failures along the R&D&I path, the SSM-STEEDER solution will fully respond to relevant industrial market needs, by finetune, validatation and launch on the market of the following key solutions:
A novel semi-solid casting process route (namely Iso-Thermal Magnetic SemiSolid Material - SSM ) with industrially demonstrated and approved parameters to guarantee metallurgical and mechanical properties by aluminium and non-flammable magnesium up to 100% from recycle.
The innovative SSM-STEEDER auxiliary apparatus to equip potentially all pressure die-casting machineries to produce high quality, even critical and structural components primarily for automotive (e.g. brakes calipers, disks, pumps, suspensions, engine components, powertrain cases,transmissions, heat transfers, also interiors, etc) and similarly for aviation, railways and electronics.
Two of the most considered raw materials for light-weighting are aluminium and magnesium with highly increasing adoption together with the die-casting market and out-pacing traditional materials such as steel. However, neither Al nor non-flammable Mg are exempt from relevant drawbacks, both as primary and as secondary sources, in terms of environmental sustainability, achievable mechanical properties and metallurgical quality especially when recycling routes are considered. Also the current technologies have significant drawbacks in terms of cost and the opportunity to introduce recycled Al or Mg. All these gaps have a clear impact on aerospace and automotive market as they prevent the wide adoption of non-flammable Mg and Al from secondary sources.
InnSight holds highly referenced competences – also acquired and recognized at internal level and with authoritative projects and clients – in metallurgy with particular regard to Aluminum and Magnesium and their related industrial processes.
InnSight operates in strong collaboration with the R&D unit of the Client primarily in the field of advanced metal alloys and metallurgy processes to boost the innovative development of lightweight and environmentally friendly products.
InnSight business model stands in a two-fold approach: on one side, InnSight team is detached at the Client’s premises to support and conduct daily activities and innovation in tight contact with the Client’s Team. On the other side, InnSight proactively proposes, designs, constructs, tests and validates innovative R&D tools and machineries to support the Client R&D strategies to serve the production department and its most advanced market positioning.
Contacts: projects@innsight.eu
Brembo SpA is the world leader and acknowledged innovator of disc brake technology for automotive vehicles. Brembo supplies high performance brake systems for the most important manufacturers of cars, commercial vehicles and motorbikes worldwide, as well as clutches and other components for racing. Brembo is also a leader in the racing sector and has won more than 400 championships. Today the company operates in 14 countries on 3 continents, with 24 production and business sites, and a pool of over 10,800 employees, about 10% of whom are engineers and product specialists active in the R&D.
VELTMAN ITALIA is an innovative SME active in material science since its establishment in 2010. It has a solid tradition in researching and developing inert advanced materials (e.g. as the ‘special concrete’ once used and proposed at the latest EXPO for CasaItalia). All its materials and products are REACH certified to testify its attention to sustainable processes and materials. In the recent 6 years, Veltman has been having a rapid growth in highly sustainable light metal alloys, in the development and commercialization of new CaO and CaCO3 based magnesium alloys.
16/12/2021
During the last weeks, the SSM-STEEDER apparatus, well integrated at BREMBO’s plant in Stezzano (BG – Italy), has been operating, being fine-tuned and testing the production of brake system components. We’re very proud to announce that all our expectations are finally met and the components realized by the SSM-STEEDER innovation are indeed of top quality, both from the mechanical and metallurgical point of view! In the next days, new castings will be launched and further analysed.
16/12/2021
Yesterday, on Dec 15th, the project final event was held. We thank all the 54 participants who joined the event from Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, France, Poland and Norway, both from RTOs and from industry.
29/11/2021
We’re happy to communicate that as per today, the SSM-STEEDER innovation reached the BREMBO plant in Bergamo (Italy) and the plant integration is started! We expect to start the final industrial validation in the very few days to come!
Stay in touch!
02/11/2021
On December 15th at 15.30, InnSight, Brembo and Veltman will take the final project on-line event to present the project achieved sound results, the industrial and environmental benefits as well as the market warm-up foreseen to pave the way for the SSM-STEEDER market introduction!
To register, contact us at projects@innsight.eu
Save the date and stay tuned!
05/10/2021
We’re very proud as we achieved to meet all the challenging technical requirements to assure top performances both in up to 100% alloys recycling as well as guaranteeing the top level mechanical properties! We’re already producing the components and assembling them in order to integrate the innovation within BREMBO line in the coming days.
10/09/2020
The SSM-STEEDER Partners, namely InnSight, Brembo and Veltman, are proceeding to finalise the layout and design of the innovative semi-solid steering apparatus for the die-casting market to feed magnesium and aluminium from recycling material.
05/08/2020
InnSight, Brembo and Veltman Italia are proceeding to realize the first ever plant for semi-solid steering in the die-casting market to feed magnesium and aluminium from recycle to be validated by Brembo for the automotive braking system components.
