Hybrid Composites for Automotive Applications - Development and Manufacture of a System-integrated Lightweight floor Structure in multi-material Design

The publicly funded research project SMiLE "System-integrated multi-material lightweight design for e-mobility" is developing a detailed understanding of efficient lightweight construction using an intelligent combination of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) with metal. A central research focus is the use of composites with a thermoplastic and a thermoset matrix for structural components in an automotive series production. For the processing of semi-finished continuous-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics in combination with long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (LFT), the novel local advanced tailored LFT-D process was developed. This process enables manufacturing of local ribs on a laminar insert, thus reducing the wall thickness while enabling a higher stiffness. The continuous-fiber-reinforced structures are overmolded only locally. Thereby the entire overmolding can be avoided and thus a further reduction of the components weight be achieved. Pursuing a holistic approach, advanced simulation models were developed for the new compression molding process. For the production of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components based on thermoset matrix systems, the innovative pressure controlled resin transfer molding (PC-RTM), developed within the project SMiLE, is used. This technology offers a high-volume production process for high-performance and cost-effective CFRP parts with integrated foam cores and metallic inserts for structural applications. The key to success is an innovative process control as well as the use of optimized materials. Simulation methods - developed and applied in the SMiLE Project - gave the possibility to optimize the overall process chain for serial production.