The cars we drive have suspension springs made of special steel. Over the years, researches have been directed at making them lighter and more efficient.

Now, an Indo-German project has been launched to develop advanced, high strength spring steel material that will help further reduce the overall body weight of the automobile and increase efficiency of suspensions.

The light weight suspension springs to be made in the next three years will find extensive use in the automotive sector.

The School of Engineering Sciences and Technology (SEST), University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been awarded the bilateral collaborative research project under the 2+2 scheme by Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC).

Steel major JSW Steels and German company Muhr & Bender KG (MUBEA) will be industry partners. While, the UoH and the University of Siegel’s (USI) will be academic research partners.

JSW steels would be making the appropriate steel grades required for light-weight automotive springs in continuous collaboration with UoH and USI. Once the optimal microstructure and targeted mechanical properties are met, MUBEA will take up the manufacturing of springs for commercial applications.

SEST has been involved in high-end fundamental research work that would result in an end product.

The project will receive a grant of ₹1.52 crores for the next three years, said Koteswara rao V. Rajulapati, Associate Professor in SEST, who would be coordinating this project as Principal Investigator from the Indian academic partner, UoH.

JSW supplies steel springs in India and MUBEA is a major global supplier, including foe the automotive giants in Germany, the advanced, high strength spring steel, once developed under the project will be made for commercial application in the near future.

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