Automotive and aerospace manufacturers have been at the forefront of the lightweighting trend for some time now. But, they're not the only ones. The railway industry could also benefit from the use of new, lightweight structural materials.

Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is a visionary. In May 2002, he founded SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company.

Strong and lightweight, carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) offers numerous benefits to automotive and aerospace manufacturers. Many engineers are intrigued by potential applications for the material, yet remain frustrated by joining challenges.

MIAMISBURG, OH—Allite Inc., a materials supplier specializing in lightweight products, has partnered with Weis Manufacturing to codevelop the first racing bicycle frame made entirely from the magnesium.

Carbon-fiber composite materials have been the darling of the aerospace industry in recent years. But, metal still plays a critical role in commercial and military aircraft, especially for applications that involve high temperatures or high stresses, such as engines and landing gear.

Recently, a startup Italian car company called XEV launched a two-seat electric vehicle. When it goes into production at a plant in Jiangsu, China, next month, the LXEV will become the world's first mass-produced printed car.

Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow (LIFT) recently launched its third round of technology projects.

Engineers at Clemson University are tackling the lightweighting challenge by developing new applications for carbon-fiber composites and other nontraditional materials.

Engineers at Gordon Murray Design in the U.K. have developed a new production technique that cuts vehicle weight in half.

Faced with the need to join aluminum to aluminum and aluminum to steel, automakers have been forced to find alternatives to the tried-and-true spot welding technology they had been using for decades to join all-steel assemblies. Flow drill screws are one such alternative.