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The CrashSALi Project

The CrashSALi Project is a one year SMART funded feasibility study to help us assess the technical viability of incorporating SALi Technology into motor vehicles and railway rolling stock. The project will look at:

Using SALi Technology to improve the crashworthiness of motor vehicle and railway rolling stock structures.
Advanced SALi based safety systems for rolling stock and automobiles.
Compact, lower cost, lower weight vehicle suspension systems.

If the Smart project delivers encouraging research evidence, we will be seeking partners to work with us, to take the concepts to the near market stage. We envisage the future partnerships being supported by Foresight Vehicle or European 6^th Framework funding.

The need for improved motor vehicle crashworthiness: The World Health Organisation estimates that road traffic accidents will be the third biggest cause of death and disability by 2020. We need to inject some radical new thinking into how we design safer motor vehicles, if we are to reduce this toll. (Financial Times, 7 April, 2004)

The need for lighter, low cost vehicle suspension systems: Lighter motor vehicles use less fuel. Weight and cost considerations are particularly important, in the quest for commercially competitive electric powered vehicles, which can travel long distances without having to be recharged.

Using SALi to improve vehicle crashworthiness: We can't reveal details of this aspect of our CrashSALi work, over the internet, until patent applications have been filed. Please contact us, if you would like further details, under confidentiality agreement terms.

Using SALi as the basis for new, low cost, lightweight suspension systems The core patent relating to our suspension systems has already been published so we can reveal the outline details to you.

The diagram below shows a simple version of the new suspension unit. The Malaysian Rubber Producers Research Association (MRPRA) advised on the materials to be used. Other designs which offer differential damping on the down and up strokes and "smart" tuneable suspension units can be developed from the basic design. Please see our published patent EP(UK)1068460 for further details.

Figure 1. A SALi based suspension unit.

Resilient foam rubber capsules, similar to Dunlopillo latex must be used, because the capsules have to undergo many millions of compression cycles, during their working life. Conventional engineering oils attack rubber, so hydraulic (e.g. brake or clutch) fluid was recommended by MRPRA as the matrix liquid.

The CrashSALi research work has been sub-contracted to the University of Manchester, with Cheshire Innovation concentrating on marketing and patent application work.

Smart CrashSALi Project update, May 2004

The University research into the above applications has not been carried out as specified by Cheshire Innovation. The final report has been returned to University, along with a detailed explanation of why the research was inadequate. The University have responded by denying that the research was flawed and requesting payment of an outstanding £20,000, for the £40,000 contract.

Update, December 2004

Bill's constituency MP, Graham Brady has written to the University requesting an explanation for the failure of the four man-years of University research on the CrashSALi and PedSALi projects, to deliver commercially meaningful results. The University has responded to the MP by denying that the research was flawed.

An example of the disputed research: SALi based suspension systems

Figure 2, above. A prototype suspension unit incorporating expanded polystyrene beads, a rubber bellows and corrosive engine oil offers no commercial credibility.

Figure 3, below. This shows the rubber bellows end-on.

Prior to handing the bellows over to the University, corrosion tests were carried out in the Cheshire Innovation work-shop. These confirmed the Malaysian Rubber Producers Research Association prediction, that engine oil would corrosively attack the rubber.

Learning from the CrashSALi experience: The collapse of the CrashSALi and PedSALi projects has frittered away £269,000+ of public investment. In addition, Cheshire Innovation has invested approximately £200,000 in SALi Technology. Costly international SALi patents are now being abandoned, due to lack of Cheshire Innovation funds. This is a blow to the government's plans, to keep Britain at the cutting edge of industrial innovation.

Here are some suggestions for ensuring that future projects fare better:

1) Cheshire Innovation recommends that the government should take the lead in drawing up a Code of Good Collaborative Practice, to provide guidance for future business-university collaborations.

2) Business and academic cultures are driven by different incentives. We need to understand each other better, before embarking on joint projects. The business plan for joint projects should include a sub-plan for bridging the cultural gap. For example, key personnel could attend Research & Development Management courses, such as those run by Cranfield University.

3) Mentors with a deep understanding of both cultures could attend quarterly review meetings, to help identify and remedy problems, before they get out of hand.

Other SALi projects: Sassy Hats, PedSALi

For notes on Research, Education and Ethics click