Partners

Organisations from 5 different EU countries covering all the value chain, from steel manufacturers, research centres to car manufacturers

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major EU steelmakers

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leading automotive company

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research centers

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SME

Eurecat

Eurecat is the leading Technology Centre of Catalonia, providing the industrial and business sector with differential technology and advanced expertise.

The center offers solutions to their innovation needs and boosts their competitiveness in a fast-paced environment. It brings together the expertise of 650 professionals who generate a volume of income of 50M€ per year. Serving more than a thousand companies, Eurecat is involved in 200 projects of R&D national and international with high strategic value.

Contribution to CRYSTAL project

Eurecat is responsible of coordinating the project and the dissemination of project results. With a unique experience in EWF, Eurecat also participates in the development of hydrogen embrittlement laboratory test and assessing the effects of hydrogen in industrial processing and is in charge of the data analysis for the definition of the more suitable hydrogen embrittlement testing methodologies.

ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the world’s leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 18 countries. In 2019, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $70.6 billion and crude steel production of 89.8 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 57.1 million metric tonnes. Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century.

With steel at our core, our inventive people and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future. With around 1500 researchers worldwide and sites in 8 countries, Research and Development is the technology pillar to meet ArcelorMittal’s ambitions in inventing smarter steels for a better world.

Contribution to CRYSTAL project

Along with the administrative contribution and dissemination of results, ArcelorMittal will collaborate in selection, preparation and characterisation of materials. ArcelorMittal will also, as a steel manufacturer, contribute in the definition of the acceptance criteria and hydrogen embrittlement methodologies.

Centre Riserche Fiat (CRF)

Centro Ricerche FCA (CRF) is an industrial research organization providing R&D and innovation services for the different companies of the FCA group and its automotive suppliers. The core competence of CRF is centred on land transportation and advanced technologies, materials, and processes for the aforementioned organizations.

CRF is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories for the researching, engineering, and testing of material, processes, and technologies, from the long-term research up to the materials and processes validation and standardization, capable to guaranteeing a prompt transfer to the sectorial product design functions. In the project, the following CRF departments will participate – Metal Alloys and Surface Treatment, Physical and Chemical Testing, Environment and Legislation, New materials and process technologies and the Manufacturing Research Business Line.

Contribution to CRYSTAL project

CRF carries out the corrosion tests in order to evaluate the possible hydrogen embrittlement during the life of the vehicle.

CRM asbl

CRM asbl is a Belgian research center focused on processes, products and solutions for metallurgical applications.

CRM asbl is a non-profit-making association created in 1948 by the Belgian steel industry. It aims at empowering metals in the societal, environmental and economic challenges of the world. The expertise of more than 265 engineers is dedicated to support industrial partners, by creating value for them through innovative solutions. Its numerous member companies include large international steel groups with operation sites in the Benelux countries and other European firms with a metal-related activity, ranging from material or equipment supply to product transformation.

CRM has a long and fruitful experience of bringing to the market products issued from R&D works. The research center has an expertise in the building of new experiments and prototypes and also in industrial transfer. Numerous processes and sensors developed by CRM are now applied in the whole world.

Contribution to CRYSTAL project

CRM asbl will devote its expertise and facilities by providing experimental data (hydrogen charging, quantification and resulting mechanical performances), as well as by taking part in capitalization and dissemination of the results.

Letomec

Letomec srl was founded in 2011 by Mechanical Engineering professors of the University of Pisa. Letomec works in the field of Materials and Mechanical Engineering making the most of the long-standing experience, gained during decades of academic and industrial consultancy, with the aim of proposing itself as resource for problem solving and innovation. The core business of Letomec consists into hydrogen embrittlement phenomenon investigations and measurements of hydrogen content in metals, both with traditional methods and innovative instruments.

The Company also developed a patented line of instruments, HELIOS (Hydrogen Embrittlement Line Instruments and Operative Sensors), designed for safety monitoring of plants, components and systems. HELIOS technology is intended for industrial easy use, to replace time consuming laboratory tests with difficult sample preparation and procedure.

Contribution to CRYSTAL project

Letomec participation in the project is crucial to determine hydrogen uptake in real plant and for life test, and the responsible partner to provide a guideline to the industry to prevent hydrogen embrittlement from occurring during the life of vehicles.

voestalpine

voestalpine Stahl GmbH is part of the voestalpine group, a stock exchange listed company, and the group’s leading company in the Steel Division. It is the steel competence centre within the voestalpine group. At its production site in Linz, about 7.000 employees work in the manufacturing and processing of flat steel, hot rolled sheet as well as highly refined cold rolled steel sheets.
voestalpine Stahl GmbH ranks among the leading suppliers of the European automotive, domestic appliance and construction industries, as well as steel construction and engineering businesses.

R&D is focused on the one hand on optimising the steel production process in regard to quality, environment and energy efficiency, and on the other hand on the development of high and highest strength steels as well as on the development of new coatings.

Contribution to CRYSTAL project

voestalpine will provide different materials for the project and will carry out sample preparation (sheets, specimens) and material characterization for these steels. The company will also be responsible for SCC tests (4PB) in immersion and salt spray.