UMD Interdisiplinatry programs - University of Michigan - Dearborn ...

Center for
Lightweighting
Automotive
Materials and
Processing
A leading university research center
The Center for Lightweighting Automotive Materials and Processing
(CLAMP) is the nation’s only university research center dedicated to
exploring the design potential, applications and manufacturing of
advanced materials for lightweight automobiles.
CLAMP was created in 1998 with a grant from the U.S. Department of
Energy’s Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) Program.
Recognizing the gains in fuel economy and emission levels achieved
through lighter cars, the GATE program encourages research into
automotive design and manufacturing methods that reduce vehicle
mass. Nine universities were awarded the prestigious grants in five
advanced automotive technology areas. UM-Dearborn was the only
university that received a grant in the lightweight materials field.
Educating future engineers
Still in the early stages, lightweight automotive design and manufacturing
are positioned to grow into a major engineering field in the coming years.
Committed to preparing the field’s future leaders, the college offers, in
cooperation with CLAMP, a lightweight materials concentration within
the graduate program in Automotive Systems Engineering. Courses focus
on automotive alloys, ceramics, polymers and composites, and designing
with these materials. CLAMP provides fellowship funding to U.S. students
who elect this concentration.
Research
Research is a key component of CLAMP’s efforts. The materials and
processing research at CLAMP is directed toward automotive applications
that will reduce vehicle mass and improve manufacturing productivity.
The focus is on applications, with multiple objectives:
■ Develop a better understanding of the design and processing
capabilities of advanced automotive materials
■ Formulate design guidelines based on materials-processingproperties
relationships
■ Produce new and improved process technology and models to
reduce process variability and process-related design problems
An information repository
Lightweight automobile manufacturing is an emerging field that requires
faculty and industry professionals to stay abreast of research and recently
developed materials. One of CLAMP’s most important activities is
compiling the latest research so that information is easy to find and
accessible. The Automotive Materials Database is a web-based repository
of lightweight materials that puts the latest information at the fingertips
of engineers, designers, researchers and students.