Technology is constantly evolving to meet the complex needs of life on our earth

Almost everything we do requires technology to make it practical, comfortable, or even possible. From your morning coffee and commute to safe housing conditions and healthcare, we rely on innovation. However, these incredible benefits to our quality of life can have far-reaching consequences elsewhere.

The whole world is experiencing widespread changes in climate and the UK is no outlier.

The average land temperature has risen by around 1.2°C from pre-industrial levels, UK sea levels have risen by 16cm since 1900 and episodes of extreme heat are becoming more frequent. [1]

Industrialisation has damaged ecosystems and biodiversity as a result of consumption and waste, contributing to irreversible climate change and devastation of natural resources. However, forward-thinking manufacturers can still respond to climate change and mitigate its impact on future generations.

By turning our attention to sustainable technology, we can champion the environmentally friendly solutions that support innovation, while minimising harm to the environment.

Ecotechnology – or ‘eco tech’ – is an applied science that aims to support human needs while causing minimal ecological disruption.

With the environmental consequences of industrialisation already clear, the uptake of green technology in the manufacturing industry is essential. It will help us to responsibly enjoy the pillars of our society, including reliable transportation and life-saving healthcare, without neglecting our ecological responsibilities.

Clamason are proud to underpin the eco tech industry.

Our metal pressings are essential components in numerous eco tech projects. We help to make climate-saving technology accessible to more people by:

  • Creating components that are economical
  • Creating components that are reliable
  • Creating components that are accurate, even in large batches.

We help OEMs to complete their projects on-time and on-budget, allowing advanced products to reach the market quickly. We have ample experience in creating components for the eco tech sector and can provide expert advice to ensure your project is a success.

Of course, we want to make our own manufacturing processes as eco-friendly as possible, too. That’s why we adhere to a company-wide environmental pledge.

Eco tech is developing at pace and manufacturers like Clamason are constantly adapting to meet the surge in demand.

Let’s take a closer look…

E-Mobility

Electromobility – or ‘e-mobility’ – is the use of electric cars, as well as e-bikes and other vehicles that are driven electrically (either fully or in part), have a means of storing energy on-board and obtain this energy predominantly from the power grid.

Transport contributes approximately one quarter of all energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere [2]. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a ‘greenhouse gas’, which furthers the greenhouse effect that causes global warming.

Entirely electric vehicles don’t produce any emissions, which is why their uptake is so crucial to fighting climate change.

However, it takes more than just the promise of a greener future to persuade the public to switch from a traditional vehicle to EV. There needs to be a good balance of design, price and practicalities to support adoption.

Market research shows worldwide EV sales approaching 2.3 million vehicles, with market penetration of 2.4 percent in 2019. OEMs’ EV-model pipelines are fuller than ever before, with approximately 400 new battery-EV models expected to hit the market through 2025. [3]

For automotive manufacturers, the trend looks promising – but investing in an electric vehicle can be intimidating for consumers. Concerns regarding batteries, charging and driving range are often a source of hesitancy.

E-mobility doesn’t need to be a costly commitment, however. Its popularity is evidenced by cheap and accessible schemes for city travellers.

e-bike
The concept of a scooter-sharing system was introduced in 2018, with riders able to borrow an electric scooter for short-term use without needing to own one.

The global e-scooter market is projected to reach $41.98 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 7.7% [4]. They net the niche of not just being sustainable, but extremely useful in busy cities – often more convenient than a car or bus.

There are no parking issues, no waiting for your bus to show up (if it does), and no need to turn up your headphones to avoid the chatter of the traveller sat next to you.

Their successful uptake goes some way to prove that e mobility solutions are appealing to the public, under the right conditions – and as a result, e-mobility is being seen as a lucrative business opportunity, supported by both eco-conscious local governments and convenience-led consumers alike.

The Automotive Industry and Sustainability

Car manufacturers have had little choice but to address the sustainability issues in automotive industry.

The UK has committed to phasing out new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and from 2035 all new cars and vans must be zero emission at the tailpipe. However, legacy regulation only requires a 37.5% CO2 reduction for cars by 2030, and a 31% CO2 reduction for vans [5].

The challenge for automotive manufacturers is three-fold. They not only need to prepare for legislative requirements, but also make sure that manufacture is cost-effective while still meeting the demand of consumers.

Many vehicles are aspirational for the average customer, but there’s often a big difference between the car of your dreams and the one that sits on the drive. Most of the time, this is a result of both practicality and cost.

To this end, automotive manufacturers must make sure their EVs will be backed by genuine customer interest, much like we have seen with the success of e-scooters.

Supporting Faster Adoption And Manufacturing Of Hybrid Vehicles

Automotive manufacturers need to be confident that their EVs will be a commercial success, long before they roll off the production line.

When designing EVs, OEMs must pay careful attention to the cost and quality of electric vehicle components.

For this reason, electric vehicle component manufacturers like Clamason have a critical role to play in the uptake of EVs. By manufacturing components that are both high quality and low cost, automotive OEMs can make confident decisions regarding ROI, as well as meeting the price and performance requirements of the anticipated market.

As one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of automotive pressings, Clamason Industries strive to give our clients a competitive advantage through manufacturing excellence.

Electric Vehicle Charging

We have invested heavily to support our customers within the electrification and hybrid sectors of the automotive industry, and our metal pressings serve a range of applications.

Many OEMs are on the lookout for reliable but cost-effective solutions, knowing margins could be lower, at least in the short-term.

Partnering with the likes of Clamason enables them to strike that balance. This is because we provide value for clients at the production design phase and, by using precision tooling, can produce pressings consistently over long production runs.

Moreover, our pressed parts can be small and intricate enough to compliment EV’s, where less is often more.

Automakers have come to rely on the likes of Clamason for materials and post stamping processes and trust us to introduce innovative techniques where appropriate. These may include aluminium die casting to stamping, for example.

In addition, automakers that partner with us do so knowing they will benefit not just from superior electronic components, but superior electronic components packaged correctly, to avoid damage in transit.

You can discover more about how Clamason supports faster adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles here.

Which Components of Electric & Hybrid Vehicles Are Made of Metal Pressings?

Clamason produce a range of precision pressed parts for EVs, including aluminium covers for inverters.

Given aluminium’s extreme versatility and strength, it can be manufactured between 0.5mm and 3mm thick and produced on presses up to 300 tonnes.

Aluminium is often the ideal material for pressings used in EV parts. It benefits from being:

  • Lightweight and stable, which is ideal for ergonomic and fuel economising vehicles
  • Recyclable and environmentally friendly
  • Highly impact resistant and robust, which is key to the safety and longevity.

Other pressed metal parts in EVs include busbars and shields.

Busbars can serve as a key part of charging process and so are essential to EVs and HEVs.

Our busbars are typically made from copper with a tin coating, meaning they have excellent electrical conductivity and contribute to the overall efficiency of the electric output and consumption of the vehicle.

You can find out more about metal pressings in EV and hybrid vehicles here.

E-Bike Components

Aluminium is present in around 80-90% of e-bikes in use worldwide.

Lightweight, cost-effective and easy to work with, it’s become the go-to choice for both frames and components, and a material Clamason specialise in when it comes to our own e-bike projects.

One area in which Clamason have enjoyed great success is in the stamping of structural components intended to lock pedal assembly and motor to the e-bike frame itself.

We currently produce around 1.5m million e-bike components every year, calling upon progression tooling to do so.

ebike

In recent months Clamason has been awarded eight new projects where we have participated in the design and development of battery mounting components. Said components can be found inside the bike frame to assist in the mounting of the battery itself.

Such parts are critical in terms of strength and accuracy, but just as importantly help to minimise weight.

Before heading to assembly metal components stamped for e-bikes often require deburring. This is a complimentary service delivered by Clamason, if not all manufacturers.

Cutting burr is unavoidable in machined metal, which is far from ideal when looking to produce an e-bike that truly looks the part. These are intended to be free of imperfections, which necessitates the use of deburring machines that do away with excess material found on key structural components.

Clamason ourselves boast three such machines, which enable us to produce components that are completely burr free, enhancing their safety and efficiency in equal measure.

Keen to find out more about how stamped metal components for e-bikes are produced? Read on here.

The Evolution of Manufacturing For New Eco Technology

Clamason underpin the latest eco technology with our specialist knowledge of the pressed metal components required to make these innovations a success.

For example, the underbody of EVs are already different from a standard petrol car and will only evolve further, requiring alternate platform stampings as a result.

While carbon fibre parts provide a viable alternative in this respect, they come with higher costs which greatly diminishes their appeal to automakers. As such, metal stampings are here to stay.

The strength-to-weight ratio of a metal pressing will lend itself to the likes of battery enclosures, charger boxes, press pin terminals, engine management control housings and the like… all fundamental to the cars of the future.

Electric Vehicle Engine Control - Clamason Industries
Furthermore, new tech, not necessarily wedded to electric vehicles, also will be dependent on metal pressings. Keyless ignition systems will require precision metal stampings, as an example.

The demand for lightweight, high tensile structural components is ceaseless.

With this in mind, the team at Clamason are proactive. We identify innovative solutions, including but not exclusive to stamping processes. This involves serious commitment to research and development, embracing electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle technologies on a bigger scale than ever before.

Implementing the latest tooling techniques is a necessity to provide clients with a competitive advantage.

Where possible, we are reducing the amount of time spent in this stage, despite parts themselves arguably becoming more complex. Faster turnaround times are facilitated by progression tooling, allowing for the production of millions of parts per year.

Stamping simulation is also playing its part, facilitating greater certainty and reducing the number of iterations required.

A growing number of manufacturers are now acquiring different types of press to satisfy changing requirements. Single operation presses are being invested in while high-speed metal stamping machines have never been more sought after, due not just to their speed but precision and intricacy.

Sure enough, electric vehicles will bring with them a need for critical tolerances. Manufactures are therefore moving furtherer towards light weighting, adopting aluminium or even thinner materials, this in the knowledge that reducing weight is THE key to extending range – perhaps the biggest drawback of EVs as things stand.

If you’d like to delve deeper into how manufacturing has evolved to fit the eco tech market, read on here.

Bosch Logo
Siemans Logo
Schneider logo
GE

Want to start your own eco-tech component project?

Why Clamason?

Clamason are at the forefront of the booming eco-tech sector, channelling most of our management and investment into this area since 2019.

In the space of three short years, we have assisted a number of clients in the delivery of products earmarked for e-mobility as well as electrification and hybrid.

In the case of the latter, we have enjoyed great success producing aluminium covers intended for inverters. Typically sized between 0.5mm and 2mm, they are born from progression tools in presses of up to300T. They have been supplemented by the likes of busbars and shields used for a similar purpose.

On the e-mobility front we have perfected a key structural component proven to hold the motor and pedal assembly within a bike frame. The deftness of the aluminium in no way compromises the strength of the component itself.

These case studies show how we have broadened our skillset and expanded our output to match growing demand.

Coupled with our industry-leading accreditations and over 70 years of metal pressing experience, you can trust us to both meet and exceed your expectations.

Ready to find out more? Talk to one of our experts today.

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[1] https://www.theccc.org.uk/2021/06/16/uk-struggling-to-keep-pace-with-climate-change-impacts/

[2] https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/transport/what-we-do/electric-mobility/why-does-electric-mobility-matter

[3] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-road-ahead-for-e-mobility

[4] https://www.esferasoft.com/blog/global-escooter-market-trends-statistics-and-micromobility-report/

[5]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1007466/green-paper-on-a-new-road-vehicle-CO2-emissions-regulatory-framework-for-the-United-Kingdom-web-version.pdf