SAFCell, Inc. (Pasadena, CA) is proud to announce its participation in the new American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII). SAFCell will work with ALMMII partners to develop innovative, lightweight metal manufacturing techniques for SAFCell’s stack components, which can be made from traditional materials like aluminum and stainless steel.
The Department of Defense has chosen a leadership team from technology solutions developer EWI, the University of Michigan, and The Ohio State University to lead ALMMII, whose mission is to advance new metal manufacturing technologies. ALMMII is the latest institute in the President’s National Network of Manufacturing Innovation.
Announced at a White House event in February, the goal of ALMMII will be “to expand the market for and create new consumers of products and systems that utilize new, lightweight, high performing metals and alloys by removing technological barriers to their manufacture,” the White House said.
By joining the ALMMII consortium of more than 50 companies, universities, and research institutions, SAFCell hopes to contribute to and benefit from the development of superior lightweight metals and advanced metal manufacturing techniques that may one day be utilized in SAFCell’s fuel cell stacks. As SAFCell stacks are made from inexpensive aluminum and stainless steel parts, machining costs account for almost 90% of total metal part costs, which in turn account for almost 50% of total stack costs. This means that machining costs actually account for more of total stack costs than the platinum catalysts within the fuel cells themselves. There is then a large opportunity for SAFCell’s collaboration with ALMMII to reduce overall stack costs, and drive SAFCell’s technology toward lower price point stationary markets.
SAFCell, Inc. develops scalable solid acid fuel cell stacks for applications requiring tens of watts to tens of kilowatts. Operating at mid-range temperatures around 250°C, SAFCell’s stacks are built around a simple and rugged design, and can operate easily on commercially available fuels (e.g., propane, natural gas, or diesel), resulting in very durable power systems for portable and stationary applications.