High Volume Manufacturing of
Composites
June 2014
Tobias Potyra
Fraunhofer Project Centre @ Western
tobias.potyra@ict.fraunhofer.de
Motivation
Motivation for Light-weight design
Weight
+ 100
Alternative drive
[kg]
train concepts:
1400
fuel cells,
hybrid and
E-propulsion
1200
1000
to 300 kg
+ 400 kg
+50 %
800
1980198519901995 2000
2005 2010
• Weight increase of typical medium-class
vehicle since 1970.
• Implementation of CAFE regulation.
• Reduction of consumption and emissions
through lighter structures.
• Improvement of passive and active safety
and product attractiveness through
functional design.
• For commercial vehicles: increased payload.
• Lightweight design requires quality
controlled, high-volume manufacturing
processes for composites.
Lightweight Potential of Composites
Characteristics of Composite Materials
Advantages of Composites
Disadvantages of composites
• Low density
•
High weight-specific strength and
stiffness
• Good damping
• Very good failure behavior
• Anisotropic properties
• Mostly lower temperature resistant
than metals
• Particular knowledge required for
proper design
• Higher effort for quality assurance
• Oftentimes high material cost
• Very low thermal expansion parallel to
fibers
• More difficult to realize automation
• Dependent on application:
• Not yet established industrial
processes
– Low thermal conductivity
– Low electric conductivity
• Very good corrosion resistance
Overcoming the shortcomings by
Transferring a holistic approach to mass production requires
competences across the entire value chain
Architecture
Design
Material
technology
Light-weight
strategy
Component
manufacture
Integration of
functions
Bonding,
joining
technology
Modelling
Simulation
Testing
Verification
Manufacturing
Processes
Reliability
Use
Overcoming the shortcomings by
Holistic consideration of materials, production processes and
methods leads to new construction methods in multi-material
design
Methods
Multi material
design
Production
Materials
Manufacturing Technologies
METHODS – PRODUCTION – MATERIALS
Long-fiber reinforced
thermosets (SMC + PUR)
High Performance
Composites RTM/ HP RTM
Long-fiber reinforced
thermoplastics (LFT)
CAx methods for light
weight multi-material design
Composite technologies
Automated, high-volume production chains
House of Production
Successful Part Production
Economics
Internal / External Knowledge
Design
Selection of the
Manufacturing Process
Material Selection
Part Requirements / Specification / VOC
House of Production with incomplete pillar
Fraunhofer Project Centre for
Composites Research at Western
University
FPC @ Western
A joint venture between:
Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
And
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Munich, Germany & Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT),
Pfinztal, Germany
Contact: tobias.potyra@ict.fraunhofer.de
www.eng.uwo.ca/fraunhofer
Twin Regions
Joint Expertise for Local Demands
Both entities, being situated in the heart of automotive areas will jointly work on composite technologies
adapted to the local demands of each region’s industry. The activities of both research entities will utilize
and increase the expertise to accelerate composite innovations as lightweight solutions.
Transatlantic
Cooperation
Applied Research with Industry
Bridging the gap in the knowledge chain.
 Realization of industrial processes
 Application of developed innovative processes
 Optimization of existing processes and materials
collaboration
with
industry
 Realization of industrial processes
 Application of developed innovative processes
 Optimization of existing processes and materials
collaboration
with
FPC@Western
 Basic research on fiber matrix phenomena
 Simulation and Design
 Investigation of fundamental interests
collaboration
With
universities
Benefits of collaborating with FPC
Research and Development goals are addressed in a holistic way so that solutions take the whole value
chain into account from the first idea over material development to manufacturing issues up to the final
part and the application of the part
Material
Process
Methods
Part
Applied Research in Industrial Scale
Technological Highlights at FPC
• Full industrial scale shop floor capable
for carbon fiber composites
• Globally first LFT-D line for processing of
carbon fibers
• Globally first HP RTM line for processing
of unsaturated polyester resins, epoxy
resins and polyurethane resins
• Globally first injection moulding
machine for direct heating and comoulding of local reinforcements with
foamed polymers
• North America‘s first Direct SMC line
Thank you very much for your
attention!