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FEATURE

REINFORCEDplastics MAY/JUNE 201422 0034-3617/14 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Compositedevelopmentsdrive auto industry

forwardDevelopments in affordable lightweight composite materials that can

be used in mass production processes were to the fore at JEC Europe

recently. Reinforced Plasticsreports on some of these and other

developments at a number of companies.

Dow Automotive has launched

VORAFORCE 5300 ultra-fast epoxy

resin for structural composite parts

in mass production. The new resin offers

90-second cycle times, which support faster,

more affordable light weighting and poten-

tial for parts consolidation. This makes RTM-

produced carbon fibre composites suitable

for mass production, says the company.

Dow Automotive adds that VORAFORCE

5300 extends RTM process capability via an

extremely low viscosity for fast injection,

with good wetting of the fibre pre-form.

Further, the formulation is equipped with aninternal release mould package, minimising

external mould release costs.

The benefits of VORAFORCE 5300 are

claimed to extend beyond ultra-fast cycle

times. Besides the materials competi-

tive mechanical properties, it allows for

substantial parts consolidation. Customers

can integrate many different parts into one

production step, saving extra production

and assembly operation costs. This can

make composites an economically attractive

solution over traditional metal alternatives.

VORAFORCE 5300 is classified as non-toxic

according REACH 2015 and the VDA-278

test shows volatile emissions are close

Materials from Dow Automotive are used in the mass production of structural composite parts for automotives.

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FEATURE

REINFORCEDplasticsMAY/JUNE 2014www.reinforcedplastics.com

to zero, an important factor for applica-

tions adjacent to the vehicle passenger

compartment.

These key benefits fast cycle times and

part consolidation potential contribute

to make composite solutions a true light-

weight technology fit for mass production

of hundreds of thousands of parts per year

from a single RTM press, explains Dow

Automotive.

Further lightweighting developments from

Dow Automotive include BETAFORCE struc-

tural adhesives that have been optimised for

BMW i3 production. The adhesives enable a

complete carbon fibre body-in-white.

While composites are gaining traction in

automotive production due to their weight-

saving potential, they remain diffi cult to

join. Adhesives offer a reliable alternative to

traditional mechanical and thermal proc-

esses, which cannot be applied to these

lightweight materials. Dow Automotive adds

that these bonding solutions such as BETA-

FORCE enable a continuous bond line and

cohesive joining of surfaces.

Recent formulations of this adhesive offer

a cycle time of around one minute and are

currently being used for mass series produc-tion. Open times can be adjusted to accom-

modate specific mounting requirements in

the plant, such as a quicker curing time by

infrared treatment. Further, the initial adhe-

sion requires no additional fixing tools.

Owens Corning has introduced a new

multi-end roving designed for epoxy sheet

moulding compound (SMC) systems in

automotive applications.

In combination with epoxy sheet moulding

compound (SMC) systems, Owens Corning

says that the new ME1510 glass reinforce-

ment enables improved mechanical prop-

erties. ME1510 features superior strength

and flexural modulus, fast impregnationand good process characteristics in SMC,

allowing up to 63% glass fibre content.

Owens Corning adds that taking weight

out of cars is required to enable meeting

CO2 emission regulations and fuel economy

standards. In combination with the epoxy

resin system, the ME1510 solution is claimed

to provide the opportunity for significant

part weight reduction compared to steel.

Furthermore, the SMC process technology

provides the right balance between

moulding cycle times, design freedom

(allowing for function integration), and high

mechanical properties, adds the company.

The automotive market is expected to

grow to 100 million new vehicles per

year by 2020. With increased regulatory

constraints in Europe, North America, and

Asia, matching CO2 emission regulations and

fuel economy standards are key drivers for

weight reduction initiatives. A 200-300 kg

weight reduction will be required to meet

the CO2

emission targets set for Europe in

2020, i.e., 95g CO2/km.

Along with engine and transmission improve-

ments, Owens Corning adds that the replace-

ment of traditional materials with lightweight

and durable composite materials represents

one of the most significant opportunities for

vehicle light weighting. Composites allow

for enhanced function integration compared

to metal and will lead to further weight

reduction opportunities in the medium to

long term, in structural applications such as

floor systems, pillars, roof and door modules,bumper beams, and seat structures.

Arkema has launched its first range of

liquid thermoplastic resins, Elium, which is

transformed using the same processes as

composite thermosets. The resins are light-

weight, cost-effective and recyclable.

Arkema adds that Elium resins polymerise

quickly and can be used to design structural

VORAFORCE HP RTM epoxy carbon fibre seat part front (left) and in the car (right).

BETAFORCE structural adhesives that have been optimised for BMW i3 production.(Photo credit: Patrick Poendl/Shutterstock.com)

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REINFORCEDplasticsMAY/JUNE 2014www.reinforcedplastics.com

Momentive Specialty Chemicals has further

developed its two-minute cure technology

for the mass production of composite

automotive components. The company has

partnered with the Technical Center for the

Mechanical Industry (CETIM) in France. The

collaboration has produced a new automo-

tive crash-box concept that reduces vehicle

weight, provides the same or better energy

absorption, and can be mass produced at a

competitive price.

The organisations have taken Momentives

two-minute cure technology featuring

EPIKOTE 05475/EPIKURE 05500 curing

agent, and Heloxy additive 112, and

developed a cost competitive composite

crash-box concept that can meet a 1,000

parts per day production rate.

Further information

Dow Automotive; www.dowautomotive.com

Owens Corning; www.owenscorning.com

Arkema; www.elium.composites.com

Gurit; www.gurit.com

Reichhold; www.reichhold.com

Zoltek; www.zoltek.com

FRT Tapes; www.frttapes.com

Momentive Specialty Chemicals;

www.momentive.com

product provides automotive parts with

lightweight, high mechanical properties, and

high heat resistance.

Additionally, Zoltek Automotive has made

significant progress developing a prepreg

material suitable for class-A automotive

body panels. The fast-cure automotive-grade

prepreg is capable of producing premium and

paintable class-A automotive body panels.

FRT Tapes has developed a high pressure

impregnation system, which the company

believes will be particularly important to

the automotive industry. The system is

claimed to allow a very high fibre content

in produced sheets and tapes.

According to FRT Tapes, various tests have

shown that its product has twice the strength

of regular steel and 75% of the strength of

high strength steels. In addition, its rigidity and

strength is three times that of the commonly-used long fibre thermoplastics. In the produc-

tion of high volumes, glass-filled polypropylene

and glass-filled polyamide are used.

FRT Tapes adds that in order to meet future

European emission targets, the company set

out to develop a product that was made

from sustainable materials, inexpensive,

light, easy-to-recycle and suited for mass

production.

ADVALITE resin served as the base resin for

Cytecs high volume MTM23 prepreg that is

used on the Spark. The MTM23 had been

adapted and mechanically characterised for

high volume press mould processing, with

good mechanical performance, controlledflow, excellent handling and self-release

capability. Cytec and Reichhold say that they

worked collaboratively through the prototype

and production implementation phases

of the Spark battery tray and continue to

develop further enhancements to the vinyl

hybrid technology.

Prepregs produced using the ADVALITE

technology can either be adhesive filmed

or directed coated to the reinforcements.

The free radical cure mechanism allows for

extended room temperature storage while

delivering snap cures at elevated tempera-

tures. Reichhold says that when compared

to epoxy resins ADVALITEs rapid rate of

cure permits significantly reduced produc-

tion cycle times. Additionally, in automotive

headspace testing the cured laminate was

demonstrated to be VOC-free.

Automotive developments from Zoltek

include a carbon fibre roof panel with a

premium and paintable surface manu-

factured via a new process called Surface

RTM. This process is the result of a year-

long industry partnership using the latest

KraussMaffei RTM technology, Henkel PU

chemistry, Chomarat C-Ply fabrics, Ruhl

PU coatings, and Zolteks specially-sized

Panex 35 50K carbon fibre. The partnership

resulted in a carbon fibre roof panel for

the Roding Roadster that is ready to paint

directly out of the mould and suitable for

structural and semi-structural parts. Surface

RTM eliminates the primer and sand process

to hide print-through, which has the poten-

tial to significantly reduce final part costs.

Zoltek Automotive has also worked on

carbon SMC moulded parts in collaboration

with Magna Exteriors using Zolteks Panex

35 carbon fibre. Zoltek and Magna have

worked to develop a low-cost carbon SMC

product, which is now sold under Magnas

EpicBlend SMC product line. Designed

to mould and flow in a traditional SMC

compression process, this carbon SMC

A selection of products from FRT Tapes.