Is this the world’s smallest lifesaver? By combining 20 years of research with new technology, we’re making driving safer
The NaMo model is a software that can predict how aluminium alloys will react in a car crash or in any other kind of collision.
With NaMo, we assess the best aluminium alloys for future car production. The software is already a central part in new projects developing aluminium alloys for various car components. Hydro, Audi, BMW, Toyota and Honda are cooperating in an advanced project at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) called Casa.
NaMo helps us find the best aluminium alloys and terms of processing for future car production. This is in terms of bumpers, crash boxes and other car parts that reduce the risk of passenger injury and improves safety.
Advanced software developed by scientists
The NaMo model is developed by senior scientist Ole Runar Myhr at Hydro’s research center at Sunndalsøra, in co-operation with professor Øystein Grong at NTNU, amongst others.
The work is based on science conducted over the last 20 years at Hydro and NTNU – and the NaMo code is now integrated in various commercial software simulating collisions.
This software is a very important tool in our research area, as it makes both ourselves and our customers able to reach innovative solutions faster. As the NaMo-model is fully owned by Hydro, we are happy to use it in our alloy development and customer support.
Calculating heat treatment
The model is calculating how the alloying elements, magnesium and silisium, are combined into tiny particles during heat treatment. It’s the size and density of these particles that decide how the aluminium alloys behave during a collision. The NaMo-model can predict the density and size of these tiny particles.
These particles are so tiny you’ll have to use an advanced microscope to be able to see them. If you take a sugar cubed piece of aluminium and extrude the tiny particles, they become so numerous that they’ll go around the Earth 10 times if you put them one after another!