Integrated Development of Multi-Material Technologies for Transportation Equipment
The Innovative Structural Materials Association (ISMA) was established to promote the development of technologies for achieving radical weight reduction in transportation equipment, particularly in automobiles. To realize this goal, ISMA conducts integrated material development and development of multi-material technologies.
The aim of material development is to achieve substantially higher strength and higher performance in steel, lightweight metals, carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP), etc. which are the main structural materials used in transportation equipment. Development of multi-material technologies covers a wide range of technologies related to multi-material structural design, welding and joining, and measurement and evaluation, among others.
In cooperation with material makers, manufacturers of transportation equipment, universities, national research institutes and other related organizations, we are contributing to improved fuel efficiency in transportation equipment, with the aim of realizing a low-carbon society.
About Research and Development Partnership
ISMA is one of the association of “Research and Development Partnership.” It is a mutual benefit organization (non-profit mutual benefit corporation) in which members conduct joint research in connection with technologies used in industrial activities for the benefit of the members concerned. In carrying out this joint research, the respective organization members provide the researchers, research funding, equipment, and other related items, and jointly manage the outcomes ofthat research for mutual use by the members.
To METI website (in Japanese)
A Message From The President
Innovative Structural Materials Association (ISMA) was established on October 25, 2013 with a 10 year plan, with the aim of drastically reducing the weight of transportation equipment, particularly automobiles. As of April 2018, the membership of the ISMA consisted of 38 companies, two national research institutes and one university.
In recent years, multi-material design, that is, using the right lightweight materials in the right parts, has played an increasingly significant role in technology development for auto body weight reduction. ISMA is promoting the development of joining technologies for dissimilar material, which will be the key to realizing multi-material structures, and technology development related to higher performance in the main structural materials used in transportation equipment, such as steel sheets, aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, magnesium alloys, carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), in an integrated manner.
The first 5 years of this 10-year project have devoted mainly to material development in advance of other work, and we have achieved our interim targets for almost all research themes. In the second 5 years, we will focus on the development of design technologies and multi-material technologies for commercializing the developed materials. We aim to propose multi-material designed automotive bodies based on further development of CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) utilizing computation science, and we will also grapple with the development of a CFRP recycling technology that prioritizes Life Cycle Assessment, leading to zero emissions.
Together with reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions by improving the fuel efficiency of transportation equipment, accelerating the popularization of next-generation automobiles and strengthening the international competitiveness of Japan’s parts and primary materials industries and their user industries, we also intend to devote our full efforts to creating a leading domestic center of scientific research related to structural materials.
Mar 18, 2019
Teruo Kishi
President, Innovative Structural Materials Association
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo
Profile of ISMA
- Established
- October 25, 2013
- President
- Teruo Kishi (Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo)
- Members
-
Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd., Armonicos Co., Ltd., Cemedine Co., Ltd., Dai Nippon Toryo Co., Ltd., Fuji Light Metal Co., Ltd., Fukui Fibertech Co., Ltd., Hitachi Metals Precision, Ltd., Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Hitachi Power Solutions Co., Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd., Honda R&D Co., Ltd., IHI Corp., Japan Fine Ceramics Center, Japan Transport Engineering Co., JFE Steel Corp., Kado Corp., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Kobe Steel, Ltd., Konika Minolta, Inc., Kyowa Industrial Co., Ltd., Mazda Motor Corp., Mechanical Design Co.,Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Nagoya University, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Nihon Parkerizing Co., Ltd., Nippon Kinzoku Co.,Ltd., Nippon Steel Corp., Nissan ARC, Ltd., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Osaka University, Sankyo Tateyama, Inc., Shimadzu Corp., Subaru Corp., Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corp., Takagi Seiko Corp., Takasago Industry Co., Ltd., Teijin Ltd., Toho Titanium Co., Ltd., Toray Industries, Inc., Toyota Customizing & Development Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corp., UACJ Corp.
(Alphabetical order; as of April 1, 2021)
- Budget
- 2.97 billion yen (FY 2021 budget)
- Project
-
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) commissioned research project, “Future Pioneering Project,: Technology Development of Innovative Structural Materials” (FY 2013)
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) commissioned project, “Innovative Structural Materials R&D” (from FY 2014)
Board Members
| Title | Name | Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| President | Teruo Kishi | Prof. Emeritus, Univ. of Tokyo |
| Executive Director | Yasushi Yoshida | ISMA |
| Director | Akihiko Kojima | Nippon Steel Corp. |
| Director | Yuichiro Goto | Kobe Steel, Ltd. |
| Director | Kazuhiro Seto | JFE Steel Corp. |
| Director | Tadao Takashima | Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. |
| Director | Akihide Takami | Mazda Motor Corp. |
| Director | Masaaki Terakado | Hitachi Power Solutions Co., Ltd. |
| Director | Takayuki Nagai | Toyota Motor Corp. |
| Director | Seiichi Hirano | UACJ Corp. |
| Director | Hideki Fujii | Toho Titanium Co., Ltd. |
| Director | Shiro Fujiwara | Teijin Ltd. |
| Director | Hiroto Yamaoka | IHI Corp. |
| Director | Kenichi Yoshioka | Toray Industries, Inc. |
| Auditor | Hiromi Ogata | Formerly Auditor, Japan Automobile Research Institute |
(As of May 27, 2021)
Organization Chart of ISMA
(As of June 1, 2016)
History |
October 2013 | Innovative Structural Materials Association (ISMA) was established as a commissioned project of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). |
| March 2014 | “Development of Thermoplastic CFRP” was added to research themes. | |
| April 2014 | ISMA project became “Innovative Structural Materials R&D,” a commissioned project of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). |
|
| April 2016 | “Basic R&D for Carbon Fiber Innovation” was added to research themes. | |
| April 2017 | “Development of Structural Materials Evaluation Using Neutron and Other Quantum Beams” and “Development of Adhesion Technology for Structural Materials” were added as new R&D themes. |
|
| May 2018 | “Development of Innovative Design Technology for Multi-Material Auto Body Weight Reduction,” “Development of Materials Integration (MI) Use Technology for Performance/Life Extension of Magnesium Materials,” “Development of Corrosion Behavior Analysis Technology for Ultra-High Strength Steel Sheets” and “Development of Hydrogen Embrittlement Behavior Evaluation Technology for Ultra-High Strength Steel Sheets” were added to the ISMA’s R&D themes. |
Address
Innovative Structural Materials Association（ISMA）
1-9-4 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
100-0006, Japan
Sanshi Kaikan, 10th Floor