A tried and tested solution
Embossing is a well-developed metalworking process in which a pattern is applied to flat metal sheets. Most people will be familiar with embossed aluminium, sometimes perhaps without realizing it. Many vehicles, especially European-made caravans, have embossed sidewalls (see for example the beautiful vehicle in the below picture). At Euramax, we call this product “EcoLite” because of the low weight and low environmental footprint that it brings. This concept is nothing new, it has been a common concept in the caravan industry for decades and, in fact, a large share of caravans in the EU today are using this technique.
Increasing strength through embossing
Embossing is a process where a sheet of flat metal is deformed on purpose at ambient temperature (so when the metal is in a solid shape, and not molten). At Euramax, we have a dedicated production line that employs two heavy embossing rolls to press the metal into a desired pattern. In order to understand how embossing works, we have no choice but to dive a bit deeper into the science behind it, but we’ll try to keep it as simple as possible!
Embossing has two effects that increase the strength of the material. The first effect is called geometric reinforcement: this refers to the fact that embossing creates additional structural elements in the metal (for example small curves, waves or ribs). This allows the material to better resist pressure from the outside, this a concept well-known from architecture: just envision an arc-shaped bridge and how it can carry heavy loads. The second effect occurs at an atomic level and is called strain hardening: when the metal is deformed this causes the crystal structure of the metal to be altered, making it stronger.
EcoLite: lighter and more sustainable vehicles
At Euramax, we call our embossed product range EcoLite. Because embossing increases the strength of the material, vehicle builders can use much thinner material. For caravans, builders can go as low as 0,45mm while maintaining good structural properties. This saves almost 50% in weight compared to plastics and also makes caravan walls significantly lighter than flat walls using StrongLite, our light weight alloy often used for motorhomes (see figure 1). This is why we call it EcoLite: by using much thinner sidewalls and using less metal, we do not only greatly reduce the weight of vehicles but also the environmental footprint of vehicles. After all, the most effective way to reduce the footprint of materials, is to use less!
Design your signature: rethinking a classic look
As we said before, EcoLite and the embossing process have been in use for decades. Its patterns and designs, however, have been virtually unchanged for many years. At Euramax, we decided it was time to revamp the EcoLite product through new designs. The beauty of embossing is that new designs can be tailor-made and introduced with a limited amount of investment (requiring new embossing rolls). This even allows us to introduce signature patterns for specific clients or applications. Our most recent innovation has been the “Dune” pattern, inspired by the mesmerizing look of sand dunes in the desert. Figure 2 below gives an overview of the designs currently in our portfolio.
Interested to know more? We are On your Side
Are you interested to know more about how EcoLite can help you reduce weight and save carbon emissions? Or perhaps would you like to more about how we can help you create new signature looks for your vehicles? Reach out to us, we are more to happy to explore the opportunities and discuss the benefits.