CSIRO is to help the Ford Motor Company create the world's lightest family car.

CSIRO and the CRC for Alloy & Solidification Technology (CAST) have won a contract to design and supply prototype magnesium engine mount brackets as part of a $200 million project by the Ford Motor Company for a new concept light-weight car.

The new car, the P2000, will use light metals to produce the world's lightest mid-size family sedan ever. The car is expected to weigh nearly 40 percent less than today's comparable vehicle. Prototypes will be developed this year.

CSIRO/CAST were among the companies selected to participate in a 'tear-down' in a Ford advanced vehicle design centre in Michigan. In this process, the companies were invited to take part in an analysis for strength, stiffness, wear, corrosion resistance and cost for every part of a current model vehicle with a view to replacing many parts with those made from light-weight materials.

More than 60 direct suppliers are contributing to the Ford program and CSIRO/CAST are among the few organisations contracted outside of North America.

CSIRO has been involved in light metal alloy research for more than 25 years and is recognised internationally for its research and development leadership in the casting of light metals.

The manager of the CAST Design and Prototyping Service, Mr Brad Cowley, says the total value of the project will be $136,000.

"CSIRO/CAST will supply three engine mount brackets comprising eight components made up of cast magnesium alloy and some rubber support componentry," Cowley said. "Both the material and the design of the engine mounts will be substantially different from those in the current model, with a potential mass saving of 50%."

"Our expertise has been paramount in marrying the unique design requirements to the manufacturing process of high pressure die casting in a streamlined way," Cowley says.

The eight components will be designed within defined engineering parameters including structural integrity and minimal noise, vibration and harshness levels. The new engine mount brackets, made of magnesium alloy rather than conventional cast iron, will couple the newly-designed CIDI engine to the body of the P2000 vehicle.

The CAST Design and Prototyping Service was established under the Federal Government's Light Metals Industry Development Grant Scheme to promote light metal castings being adopted more broadly by industry.

The Service is an important part of CSIRO's research into casting, which is carried out within the Cooperative Research Centre for Alloy and Solidification Technology, CAST.

CSIRO/CAST will be the single source for the design and prototyping of the engine mount brackets for the 'Project 2000'.

This complements Ford's recent decision to financially support the Australian Magnesium Corporation's pilot plant, now under construction in Gladstone, Queensland.

More information from :
Brad Cowley: mobile 0419 375 748, (03) 9662 7817, cbc@mlb.dmt.csiro.au
or
Chester Bendall: mobile 0417 350 109, (03) 9662 7717, ccb@mlb.dmt.csiro.au

Photo and graphics of the Ford P2000 are available to media for downloading at: http://media.library.fmcc.com/