Innovative Solutions for Transportation

Automotive Advanced Development Projects

In early 2006 Industrial Origami began development of automotive solutions by participating in the development of the Mille Miglia Concept Coupe, a one off experimental concept vehicle by the BMW Group which experimented with the application of Industrial Origami technology by creating a new interior cockpit assembly manufactured without any tooling, using NC laser and punch machines. This feasibility study targeted the instrument panel (IP) sub-assembly structure for cost savings and vehicle platform flexibility. In the process 3D aesthetic metal surfaces were developed from a 2D metal skin surface.

Folding Technology Creates Forms; Gaps Take on Functions

While designing the interior elements, the designers combined the use of traditional materials and the application of innovative processing methods with each other. While doing so, they achieved a result that is unique in automobile construction and loaded with incredible effects.

Especially conspicuous: the implementation of V2a stainless-steel processing in the cockpit and the centre console area.

More than just the purist unpretentious material itself, that kind of shaping sets a fascinating accent.

The metal sheets, rolled to a thickness of only one millimetre, are multi-folded to take up the final surface structure of the respective component.

Beforehand, the metal sheets are given a precisely cut fold on the intended edges. This is carried out using a laser technology developed especially for this purpose. This facilitates extremely exact remodelling, which leads to exceptional stability of the completed component on top of that.

Everywhere where two metal components meet, they are clamped together absolutely flush using laser cut castellation. Gaps are only present where they could and above all should take on a function at the same time; for instance, the transition between the dashboard support and the centre console is used as additional storage space. That transforms the gap from an undesirable side effect accruing when two components are connected into a consciously inserted design element. This opens up entirely new perspectives in automobile engineering.

Next Generation Vehicle Structures

In 2007 Industrial Origami initiated the development of solutions intended for the transportation and automobile industry. The successful completion of multiple Technology Demonstrator projects together with large OEM's, demonstrated the potential benefits of adopting the technology across a number of areas in the vehicle. More significantly, the exercises offered an opportunity to evaluate the spectrum in which the technology can be applied across the product development process in order to maximize the impact. The Industrial Origami Platform Architecture delivers significant performance and weight savings while lowering the capital investment and maximizing flexibility.

Current State of Technology

Current high volume automotive chasses can achieve low per unit cost targets, but are complex structures which are difficult to design, material intensive, complex to assemble, require significant investment ($100's of millions) to manufacture (often multiple cars will share platforms to amortize costs), take years to get to market, and are not very light-weight or very fuel efficient.

Advanced aluminum space frame chasses such as used by Audi, can achieve competitive stiffness to weight ratios with lower capital investment. However, they are very expensive to produce, which results in their use only in very low volume high-end vehicles. The Audi R8, built with extruded aluminum, has excellent weight and fuel efficiency. However, its high capital investment made the car so expensive for consumers, that this significantly reduced consumer demand. For new market entrants such as a Tesla or a Fisker, the choice is to re-use existing chassis components (Lotus), or follow the existing low volume high-end vehicle solution.

The Industrial Origami Solution

Industrial Origami has developed advanced patented sheet material manufacturing technologies that enable low cost commercial production of light-weight fuel efficient vehicle chasses using less material, simplified assembly processes, significantly reduced capital investment in a much shorter product development cycle. Industrial Origami has taken the technology demonstrator all the way to a prototype stage to perform durability and crash safety evaluations and optimize performance and weight savings.

Industrial Origami Transportation is collaborating closely with OEM's and partners to develop the technology in several vehicle applications, including instrument panel cross-members, vehicle sub-assemblies and complete chassis solutions. In particular Industrial Origami is promoting ways to reduce the capital investment associated with the development of alternative transportation vehicles and future EV platforms. In combination with investment and cost reductions Industrial Origami technology can also provide weight reduction and performance (control crash behavior, stiffness) improvements.