Shields for the undersides of cars made from Superplastics originally used for Ariane 5 fuel tank manufacturing

A new thermal mounting board derived from ‘superplastic’ forming of titanium alloys is being tested by the Formtech company, aimed at providing protection shields for the undersides of cars. Superplastic forming involves deforming material past its usual breaking point to make it more robust, a technique used by Europe’s space industry to produce spherical Ariane 5 fuel tanks. Spinning-in this technology results in a shield able to operate at a higher temperature, with a better fit and with only 70% of the current amount of aluminium shielding. The company is working on a prototype with a car supplier, undertaking discussions with BMW.