AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
COMPOSITES IN CAR MANUFACTURING
EXEL COMPOSITES
COMPOSITES FOR CAR PART MANUFACTURING
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated in 2012
that the national automobile fleet should average 54.5 miles per
gallon by 2025 in order to reduce reliance on fossil fuel and minimize
emissions, many other nations have also implemented similar new
standards. To meet these new standards the automotive industry has
had to find new ways to make lighter cars without sacrificing their
strength and structural integrity.
due to the high demand for lightweight vehicles and components.
This trend, called light-weighting, seeks to use innovative materials
to reduce the weight of products. As a result, composite materials
are being increasingly used in production, especially for automotive
parts and components.
Here Jari Sopanen, Regional Manager at leading composites
manufacturer Exel composites, explains why one of the best
replacements for steel is thermoset components. According to the American Composites Manufacturers Associations,
fiberglass is one of the key reinforcing materials used in the US
thermoset composites industry. Thanks to its durable properties, it
is a good replacement for steel in vehicle structural components,
including drive shafts, bumpers and roof beams
Thermoset composites are formed using glass, carbon, or aramid
fibers, which are then combined with resins such as polyesters,
vinyl esters, epoxies, or phenolic resins. These composites are
used in various industries, but are particularly prominent in the
manufacturing of aircraft and spacecraft parts. Reducing component weight is crucial for raising the efficiency of
automotive systems. For example, carbon fiber has comparable
properties to steel, but is only one-fifth the weight. Regardless of
the mode of transport, it is easy to see the benefits that shaving this
amount of weight from a vehicle will achieve.
Thanks to research and development in the aerospace sector,
composites are also being used across other forms of transportation Additionally, when directly compared to steel, composite materials
can meet or surpass the automotive industry’s material property
demands, including low coefficients of thermal expansion for heat
conduction, dimensional stability for shape retention, corrosion
resistance in wet conditions, and high-impact strength to withstand
repeated use.
Sourcing
Custom Parts
overSeaS
• Low cost
• Low risk
• Small quantities
• High quality
The low weight of composite components also helps provide good
sound baffling and an overall quieter performance.
One type of car that can massively benefit from composite
components are electric vehicles (EVs). Batteries are heavy
and, although technology is advancing at a blistering pace, it is
highly likely that the bulk battery weight will not decrease as any
miniaturisation will be used to install more batteries to increase
range and power.
Minimizing component weight is, therefore, critical and fiber glass
and carbon fiber alternatives are incredibly suitable for this light
weighting, especially for EVs. For example, EV batteries must be held
in special boxes to protect them but also to prevent any discharge
from shocking passengers.
Blue Diamond has spent 40
years perfecting an overseas
custom parts supply chain
offering high quality with small
initial orders (500 pieces), low
cost at minimal risk.
023 8025 8966 | www.blue-diamond.co.uk
Metals are conductive, which makes them unsuitable whereas most
composites aren’t, meaning that when made from composites,
which possess a higher strength to weight ratio, they are perfect for
this application. Due to EVs current limited distance range, shaving
off weight can produce strong marginal gains.
Composites are gearing up to feature in more than just structural
components for cars.
For more information on composites and to begin your
journey to implement composite components visit our
website and get in touch:
www.exelcomposites.com
Issue 41 PECM
51