The Auto/Steel Partnership Foundation (A/SP) is a pre-competitive research consortium of automakers, sheet steel producers and affiliate tier suppliers. For more than 35 years, A/SP members work to drive improvements from concept through realization in vehicles on the road today, as well as to support an educated workforce.
OUR MISSION
A/SP leverages the resources of automotive, steel and related organizations to enable innovations in design optimization and manufacturing technologies for achieving sustainable mobility solutions. We pass on these innovations through education for the industry and community, supporting the realization of technology and sustainability benefits through a skilled workforce.
STRATEGY: How we achieve our mission
A/SP focuses on pre-competitive technical development of sustainable lightweight steel technologies and applications, which include:
- Aligning manufacturing enabling technologies with steel development;
- Utilizing existing and emerging steel grades for mass reduction, product performance and other metrics;
- Promoting and leveraging vehicle mass reduction projects;
- Leveraging existing manufacturing infrastructure technology as practicable, while developing stretch technologies as needed;
- Working collaboratively within the research community (e.g., universities, national laboratories) to effectively leverage technical resources and education; Working with academia, companies, and communities to support workforce training/ education; and,
- Maintaining an A/SP Technology Roadmap to help drive annual project plans.
MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
Membership is open to:
- Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). Automotive OEMs with product engineering and manufacturing engineering responsibilities with captive/Tier 1 stamping operations in North America.
- Steel Mills. Steel companies which have made shipments to the North American automotive market in each of the past three years from their North American business units making, coating or continuously annealing automotive sheet steel products.
- Affiliates (nonvoting). Tier suppliers with product engineering, manufacturing engineering and R&D facilities in North America in support of automotive OEMs.