Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(2009-10)
A seminar on:
Applications of Composite materials in the
Automobile industry
In the modern world composites are used in all the fields like Automotive, Aerospace,
Construction industry, Entertainment industry etc.
Classification of composites
Composites are classified based on the matrix used and reinforcing material used in the
formation of the composite material.
In 1930- Henry Ford attempted to use Soya oil to produce a Phenolic resin and
thence to produce a Wood filled composite material for car bodies (Figure 1).
In the 1950s when glass fiber reinforcement material and cold setting polyester
resins became commercially available, this put the manufacture of compound
curved streamlined automotive bodies into the reach of low volume, low capital
companies. The first use of composites by a high volume manufacturer was
probably the 1954
1954 Singer Hunter - GRP bonnet and side valences (Source: The North
American Singer Owners Club)
By the beginning of the 1960s the low volume car producers were producing
structural monologues in hand laid GRP – examples are the Lotus Elite, and these
craft level wet hand layup methods were the mainstay of composite production
throughout the nineteen sixties, limiting their application to low volume high value
specialist sports car manufacture - example the Reliant Scimitar.
The Reliant Scimitar (GTE SE6a shown here) had a hand laid body supported by a steel
chassis (Source: Nick Tucker)
In the late 1980s the Pontiac Fiero (Figure 5) laid a good claim as the first mass
production Composite intensive car body. The Fiero had a space frame chassis and
a body using a number of different types of Composites. The high performance (and
cost) image of composites has lead to amusing spin offs such as the manufacture of
polypropylene moldings for the juvenile market that look ‘just like carbon fiber’.
These articles are of course limited to non-structural applications such as air ducts
and trim pieces.
Why Composites?
Now we will consider the advantage of composites with regard to the above 4 points:
A typical example of BMW Company that used CFC (1.8mm gage) roof design instead of
Aluminium (1.2mm gage)
This resulted in a weight saving of 1.1 kg per roof valuing 5.5 – 7.0 USD per roof. This
finally amounted to a saving of 21,000 USD / year (3000 cars/year platform.)
The table below shows the values of fuel consumption and fuel efficiency for different
design types and vehicle weights.
As per this study, a vehicle structure and closures made of normal materials like steel or
Aluminum would way 500 KG and will consume 10ltr of fuel per 100 km of distance
travelled.
If the same structure is made using a HSS (High strength steel) it will weigh 350 KG (30%
weight reduction) in this case the vehicle will consume 9.58 ltr per 100 km distance which
means 4.2% increase in fuel efficiency.
In the third case a Carbon fiber composite is used to build the structure, which weighs
270KG (42% weight reduction) and the vehicle will consume 9.31 ltr per 100 km of
distance driven. This means 7% of increase in fuel efficiency.
It should be noted that if the same carbon fiber composite structure is used on a car
powered by the Diesel engine the fuel efficiency can be increased by a whopping 30% and
its 35% with a Full hybrid petrol engine and 45 % in case of a Hybrid Diesel engine.
2) Composites to improve Safety and Crashworthiness.
S.E.A = W / V ρ
The below graph compares the SEA for metals and composites.
The SEA value for Aluminum is around 25KJ/kg and for steel it’s around 35Kj/Kg.
And SEA values for the Glass /Epoxy is in the 75 KJ/kg and for Carbon / PEEK it’s
as high as 200KJ/kg.This proves that a structure built with a composite is 6 to 8
times safer than a structure built with metals.
The effect of using Composites on safety is listed as follows:
These structure members are in the form of tubular beams and can be
made from glass fiber and carbon fiber for more critical components.
The use of composites (PMCs) in the styling of the interiors of a vehicle has resulted
in enhancing the aesthetic look and also in consolidating the parts to fit into small
available space inside the vehicle. Some of the examples are shown below:
Here the consolidation of 4 parts into one is possible due to ability to create complex
curvatures.
LGF PP for POLO front end carrier
The use of LGF PP has resulted in Weight saving, parts consolidation, and reduced
packaging space and more design freedom.
SMC (Sheet moulding compound) for GM/ FORD pickup truck (truck box-
tail gate)
The use of SMCs in GM / FORD pickup trucks has resulted in multiple parts
consolidation, light weight construction and corrosion resistance.
Glass / Epoxy top sleeper
The use of glass/epoxy top sleeper resulted in light weight, part consolidation and class A
surface
Since the composite materials can be easily formed into any shapes they find their use in
aerodynamic design of the body of the automobile to reduce air drag.
The table below shows the energy losses due to various resistances to the movement of the
vehicle.
The Aerodynamic drag increased from 18% in the city driving to 51 % on highways when
the vehicle cruises at high speeds. Hence if we can reduce this air drag the fuel efficiency
can be improved.
The Average drag coefficient (Cd) of modern sedans is around 0.32 achieving Cd of 0.272
would enhance fuel economy (projected)
The automotive companies in the today’s modern world are forced to look for new
ways and innovations in manufacturing a car/truck due to fierce competition. The cars
today should have all the comforts needed by the customer at low cost. This has led to the
use of composite materials in the construction of the body, interiors, chassis, hoods,
electrical components etc. The composite materials have the desired properties to suit the
requirements. Hence there is more scope for the composites today and also will be in
future in the Automobile industry.
The below Pie chart shows the amount of composite material used by the
Automobile companies during the year 2007. The major players in the automotive world
like General Motors (33%) Ford (25%) and Daimler Chrysler (21%) are using the
composite materials extensively.
The Pie chart below shows the use of composites in an automobile. About 72% of the composites used
will be for Class –A exteriors, and 18% will be used for Structure , under the hood and power train
Constitutes about 7% and 3% will be used for interiors.
Examples of Composites in the Automotive Industry
There are already a number of composites used in the automotive industry. A few examples
Of which follow. These are mainly from a European standpoint although examples of the
US industries where some composites are widely used are also included.
The first composite front end was introduced in 1987 on a Peugeot 405, manufactured
From sheet moulding compound (SMC). Others, e.g., Peugeot 605 and Citroen XM in figure.
Example mouldings include electrical connectors, e.g., fuse box housings, and relay bases,
under bonnet covers and manifolds (Figure next page) where higher temperatures are
experienced.
Headlamp reflectors are injection moulded in DMC, a resin rich surface on the reflector
gives a ‘class A’ finish onto which a metallic coating can be deposited (fig)
Under bonnet applications include valve covers (Figure) and an SMC cam box.
Where stiffness at elevated temperature is needed and extra sound deadening is provided.
A cam cover (Figure) has been made which takes full advantage of the
properties of SMC. A stiff, creep resistant moulding was made to very tight
tolerances. The component also has the advantage of damping the gearbox
vibrations and withstanding the harsh Seawater environment
Figure: A Rolls Royce cam box (Source: WMG)
The Budd Company has produced a SMC front end moulding for the Ford Taurus in
one piece with all fixing inserts included (Figure).
SMC front end moulding for the Ford Taurus (Source: The Budd Company)
Another high profile moulding they produced was the windscreen surround for the
Plymouth Prowler sports car (Figure) the moulding is both stiffer and lighter than the
equivalent steel component, saving around 35% in weight.
Pultrusion (Figure. The Pultrusion also has the advantage of being cheaper to produce
than the equivalent steel component for the volumes required.
Drive-shafts and axles can be produced with 60% weight savings using Pultrusion. Spicer
and Strong well have produced a single piece drive shaft for a GM pickup truck (Figure
6.23). The Pultrusion has a combination of carbon and glass fibers in vinyl ester resin and
is bonded to aluminium end caps. The design is simplified to a single component with
excellent corrosion resistance and additional vibration damping.
Use of Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) to produce bumpers
Uses for GMT are very varied, from purely aesthetic parts such as cam covers to semi
structural parts like load floors, and safety-critical parts such as bumper beams.
If these problems are tackled efficiently, then we can imagine a car which will be built 100%
by the Composites materials.
The Future of Composites
In most cases polymer matrix composites (PMC) are in competition against existing metal
components. In the case of automotive applications this means steel and aluminium. The
advantages of steel are cost, strength, and a route for recycling that is an integral part of the
manufacturing process, 50% of manufactured steel finds its way back to the steel works as
scrap [1]. The disadvantages are the very high cost of plant and tooling and the limits of
ductility. The case for aluminium is also constrained by the relatively high material cost.
However, this is usually off-set by an additional weight saving potential.
Composite use on our current vehicles looks set to increase substantially (market trends
Suggest up to 10% growth per year in automotive markets) and the use of such
components will give the OEM a customer benefit that will be hard to ignore.
Summary
Composite materials are already being used in various forms throughout the automotive
Industry, from sheet moulding compound (SMC) fenders to thermoplastic composite tail
doors. The use of composites has been driven by the requirement to save weight and also
By the reduction in investment costs associated with composites. Future economic and
Environmental pressures will tend to increase the use of low-density materials and
Composites in particular.
Bibliography
1) Trends in Automotive thermostat composite use – by automotive composite
alliance.
2) Freelance writers Mike and Pam Brady report from the 6th Annual Society of
Plastics Engineers (SPE)
3) Vision of CFCs in Automotive field – by Kalyan Sehanobish DOW chemical
company.
4) An introduction to automotive composites by Nick Tucker and Kevin Lindsey.