Implementation of a Design Guideline for Aluminum Foam Sandwich Based on Industrial Demands

Abstract

Aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) is an innovative material for lightweight structures, consisting of an aluminum foam core surrounded by two face sheets of aluminum. The advantages of AFS are a low density combined with a high bending stiffness, good energy absorption properties, and high recyclability, meaning it can be used for many different applications. However, the number of realized series applications with AFS is low caused by a lack of design knowledge, as shown in various studies. In order to address this lack of design knowledge, a design guideline is to be developed. This paper focuses on the development of such a design guideline based on requirements and demands from the industry and presents a structure. In addition, the individual contents of the design guideline are explained in more detail in order to clarify how designers can be supported in the future when designing products with AFS, so that the full potential of this material can be realized. Finally, a survey in an industrial context evaluates the extent to which this design guideline is a useful form of support, in order to check whether its application can improve the design process with AFS.