Jaguar Land Rover Wins 2014 Altair Enlighten Award for Innovation in Automotive Vehicle Lightweighting

Altair has named Jaguar Land Rover as the winner of the 2014 Altair Enlighten Award for the company’s implementation of lightweight architecture design in the newest Range Rover vehicle. Jaguar’s approach to sustainability and CO2 reduction combines strategies for weight reduction and maximizing recycled material use.

Jaguar Land Rover developed new CAE techniques to simulate crash, durability, noise, vibration and harshness attributes. From these methods, new manufacturing simulation practices for stamping, casting and joining vehicles were created. These simulation practices have enabled the company to develop lightweight vehicle products in the virtual world, minimizing incremental development testing.

According to a company press release, the new Range Rover body now weighs 658 lbs, compared to a previous body weight of 1,096 lbs.

Dow Automotive Systems was this year’s runner up for its BETAMATE bonding solution. The two-part epoxy structural adhesive is engineered for a new robotic process for untreated aluminum bonding.

“We would like to congratulate Jaguar Land Rover for winning the 2014 Altair Enlighten Award,” said David Mason, vice president, Global Automotive for Altair. “Their holistic approach to vehicle lightweighting and CO₂ reduction has yielded an aggressive and highly impressive methodology that is enabling the creation of new and exciting vehicle architectures.”

Read a full list of this year’s nominees on Desktop Engineering.

For more information, visit Altair.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.