The Education and Training Committee (ETC) of the European Aluminium Association (EAA) and MATTER at the University of Liverpool are collaborating on a new project to develop innovative and interactive web-based learning tools for aluminium science and technology.

e-Learning objectives

The e-Learning resources will:

• support and supplement high-level education and training at European universities, technical centres and industries;
• develop a highly innovative and interactive web-based multimedia learning tool for students and engineers in industry;
• develop a demonstration module to evaluate the efficiency and results of the chosen approach

These objectives fit into the overall ETC mission to (i) enhance the image of the aluminium industry and increase awareness of its innovative material applications at European universities and technical centres; (ii) support high-level education and training in aluminium science, applications and related technologies; (iii) secure a long-term supply of well-educated scientists and engineers, both for the aluminium industry and for end-use industries.

The web structure has beendesigned to allow the content to be accessed via at least three different "entry points"

• Products/applications - e.g. marine plate, aircraft extrusions, beverage can sheet, etc.
• Processing - e.g. ingot casting, homogenisation, hot rolling, extrusion, etc.
• Materials Science & Engineering - e.g. microstructure, phase transformations, dislocation interactions, etc.

The aim is to allow users with different backgrounds or interests to access the material in a context relevant to their own requirements.

Diagram showing how the content will be accessible from different entry points.

Other modules may follow once the demonstration module has been successfully launched and tested on the web. The demonstration module will be firstly developed in English, but provision will be built into the database structure to accommodate other major European languages.

Acknowledgments

Cheryl Anderson, University of Liverpool Eric Arnoux, GLFA Arno Aryus, SLV-Duisburg Mike Ashby, University of Cambridge Andreas Bleistein, Alcan Yves Brechet, INPG David Brook, University of Liverpool Markus Buescher, IMM-RWTH Franz Bültmann, SLV-Duisburg Carlos Caicedo-Martinez, Corus Havovy Cama, Innoval Technology Ltd (formerly Alcan Intl. Ltd, Banbury) Christelle Crotaz, University of Cambridge Iris De Graeve, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Julian Driver, Ecole Mines St-Etienne Peter Drossert, SLV-Duisburg Bruno Dubost, Alcan Centre de Recherches de Voreppe Paul Evans, Innoval Technology Ltd (formerly Alcan Intl. Ltd, Banbury) Philipp Frankel, Manchester Materials Science Centre Ludo Froyen, KULeuven Jean-Pierre Gabathuler, NovelisGunter Gottstein, IMM-RWTH Andrew Green, University of Liverpool Ortwin Hahn, LWF, Universität Paderborn Richard Hamerton, Alcan International Ltd Wolfgang Heidrich, GDA Jürgen Hirsch, Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH John Humphreys, Manchester Materials Centre Tim Hurd, Corus Research, Development & Technology Mike Jacobs, University of Birmingham Hartmut Janssen, Hydro Aluminium Jenny Lee, University of Liverpool Christian Leppin, Alcan Fabrication Europe Christian Leroy, European Aluminium Association Bernard Marandet, Alcan Centre de Recherches de Voreppe Graeme Marshall, Alcan International Ltd Steven Meijers, Corus Volker Mohles, IMM-RWTH Erik Nes, NTNU - SINTEF Michael René Boesen, AluCluster Ricky Ricks, Innoval Technology Ltd (formerly Alcan Intl. Ltd, Banbury) Ben Rivett, Manchester Materials Science Centre Joseph Robson, Manchester Materials Science Centre Marc Ryckeboer, SapaJean Saint-Chely, CETIM Hugh Shercliff, University of Cambridge Klaus Siegert, Universität Stuttgart Christophe Sigli, Alcan Centre de Recherches de Voreppe Thobias Sjökvist, University of Liverpool Herman Terryn, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Keith Thomason, University of Liverpool Ellen Vaders, Aluminium Centrum Benoît Verquin, CETIM Stefan Wagner, Universität Stuttgart Thomas Wiese, LWF, Universität Paderborn Reinhard Winkler, SLV-Duisburg Franz-Josef Wöstmann, LWF, Universität Paderborn Luis Zamorano, Third Wave Systems, Inc.

aluMATTER Partners Involved in the Leonardo da Vinci Project (2003-2005)

The aluMATTER Project is co-funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme of the European Commission – DG Education & Culture. The European Aluminium Association thanks the European Commission for this support.