NEWS & EVENTS

LIFT, IACMI and The Center Lead Collaborative Unveiling of New Lightweight Frame for Specialty Cars at 2017 SEMA Show

The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), a representative of the MEP National Network, in collaboration with Manufacturing USA Institutes LIFT- Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow and IACMI – The Composites Institute, with UT CIS – University of Tennessee’s Center for Industrial Services Institute for Public Service, announced they will be showcasing newly engineered lightweight aftermarket frames for specialty vehicles at the 2017 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Attendees visiting the booth at the show, which runs from October 31 – November 3, 2017, will be among the first to see a model of the lightweight alternative for replacing frames for nearly any specialty vehicle. Engineers chose the C2 Corvette, in production from 1963 to 1967, as a baseline vehicle because of its popular body style and well-engineered original frame.

Morphing software was used to allow the lightweight frame to be reconfigured to fit virtually any body width and length, making it applicable to a wide range of specialty vehicles. Although not yet in production, this forward-looking engineering could give specialty car owners access to an affordable, stiffer, lighter and safer car frame option in the future.

For full project details, click here.