Sup3rForm was presented during a workshop on fracture toughness in advanced high-strength steels held at the Spanish National Center for Metallurgical Research – CENIM facilities in Madrid, on 24th January 2025.

Eurecat’s Head of Mechanical Behaviour, David Frómeta, introduced Sup3rForm together with other research projects coordinated by Eurecat using fracture toughness as a material parameter for validating the performance of novel advanced high-performance and sustainable steels being developed.

In the Sup3rForm project, a rapid fracture toughness test developed and patented by Eurecat will be used to assess the mechanical performance of 3rd  generation Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) and medium-manganese steels. The test, based on the Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) methodology, provides a simplified solution for measuring the fracture toughness of thin metal sheets, offering significant advantages in material characterisation.

Other projects presented also incorporating the rapid fracture toughness tests in their activities include:

  • CISMA: Introducing scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace steel for a greener circular economy in mass-market sheet metal goods.
  • H2FORM3G: Exploring the impact of hydrogen on the formability of 3rd generation of Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) for future lightweight vehicles and developing tools to mitigate the risk of cracking and delayed fracture.
  • COOPHS: Enhancing low CO2 steel production for the automotive sector through the development of more sustainable processing methodologies.

Eurecat, the entity coordinating Sup3rForm, is specialised in the characterisation of metallic materials for optimising industrial processes and designing components and applies standout methodologies which deliver significant advantages to industry.

In Sup3rForm, Eurecat is in charge of the project management, communication, coordination, dissemination, and exploitation activities. With a solid experience participating and coordinating international research projects in the field of steel development, Eurecat is the lead partner in the tasks focused on fatigue, fracture toughness and edge fracture resistance characterisation.