STEEL-ALIVE IN A NUTSHELL

STEEL-ALIVE, standing for STEEL Applications for Low Investment manufacturing of High Value Elements, is an initiative funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel. The project began in July 2025 and will run until June 2028.

STEEL-ALIVE aims to improve the way steel-based Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) are produced by optimising the manufacturing process.

Instead of rigid industrial processes such as stamping or giga-casting methods, the project seeks to establish a more flexible and cost-effective production framework centred on the use of Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS).

To demonstrate the potential of this new approach, the project will build three vehicle components: (i) a battery casing, (ii) a rear carrier box structure, and (iii) a body-in-white frame.

OBJECTIVES

1. Extend the use of Advanced High-Strength Steels in the production of LCV components.
2. Design and create new component solutions that can be easily adapted to different vehicle models or sizes, without needing new tooling.
3. Develop a new LCV manufacturing line based mainly on laser cutting and bending of steel tubes and sheets, supported by additional bending and punching techniques.
4. Introduce hybrid joining techniques, combining welding with structural adhesives, supported by advanced in-line quality control systems.