Sponsored By

JEC Awards Reward Lightweighting Efforts in Auto SectorJEC Awards Reward Lightweighting Efforts in Auto Sector

Sandwich molding and strategic reinforcement offer auto OEMs low-cost lightweighting options.

Stephen Moore

January 16, 2025

2 Min Read
thermoplastic sandwich molding technology
Thermoplastic sandwich molding technology that enables the fully automated production of 3D-molded components in a lightweight construction was developed by Fraunhofer IMWS in collaboration with partner companies.Image courtesy of Fraunhofer IMWS

A new thermoplastic sandwich molding technology enables the fully automated production of 3D-molded components in a material-efficient lightweight sandwich construction. The potential of this innovative hybrid technology was demonstrated using a storage compartment cover from a truck driver's cab.

The technology was developed by German research organization Fraunhofer IMWS with fellow German companies Daimler Truck, ElringKlinger, ThermHex Waben, and edevis GmbH, and Austrian injection molding machine maker Engel. It recently won a JEC Composites Innovation Award in the automotive category.

Compartment cover prototypes prove technology's viability

The commercial-scale production of functionalized, 3D-molded lightweight sandwich components was successfully demonstrated by the partners in a collaborative R&D project. Prototypes of the storage compartment cover proved the viability of the  thermoplastic sandwich molding technology for an actual component structure. The 3D shaping of the part is realized by thermoforming of a semifinished thermoplastic sandwich panel in a closed tool, which also enables additional functionalization by injection molding for integration of hinges and fasteners.

Key benefits include a light and stable sandwich construction, reduced material usage, efficient processability suitable for large-scale production, integral design and functional integration, and recyclability thanks to the use of thermoplastics.

Related:Easy-to-process Particle Foam Targets Auto Composite Applications

Low-cost lightweighting with design flexibility

jaguar-650x434.jpg

Another lightweighting project recognized by the JEC Composites Innovation Awards in the automotive category was the UK-based Sustainably Optimized Composite Automotive (SOCA) initiative headed by automaker JLR and partnered by fellow UK firms Far-UK, CCP Gransden, and iCOMAT. The project’s aim is to decarbonize the manufacturing of composite components for automotive applications, focusing first on low-volume and carbon-fiber parts, while maintaining performance and light weight.

Current manufacturing technologies are costly and inherently slow as well as limited in terms of fiber-orientation distribution, given that current deposition and lay-up solutions — automated fiber placement (AFP), automated tape laying (ATL), and tailored fiber placement (TFP) — force the adoption of straight/geodesic continuous fiber paths.

Leveraging skeleton/flesh concept

The SOCA project aims to bring to market CO2e-optimised/net-zero and lightweight composite technologies and body structures for electric vehicles (EVs) using the award-winning skeleton/flesh concept, which was successfully demonstrated during previous projects. The skeleton/flesh concept includes the use of a low-cost/low-performance ''flesh'' material strategically reinforced with structural unidirectional (UD) carbon-fiber tapes acting as a ''skeleton'' for the manufacturing of fiber-reinforced parts (FRP).

Related:Firm Prospects for Thermosets in Auto Sector

Key benefits of the process include GWP/CO2e reduction of CFRP components by up to 70%; use of circular, high-performance recycled carbon fiber; compatibility with existing molding processes; equivalent performance with the original design; and competitive cost.

About the Author

Stephen Moore

Stephen has been with PlasticsToday and its preceding publications Modern Plastics and Injection Molding since 1992, throughout this time based in the Asia Pacific region, including stints in Japan, Australia, and his current location Singapore. His current beat focuses on automotive. Stephen is an avid folding bicycle rider, often taking his bike on overseas business trips, and a proud dachshund owner.

Sign up for PlasticsToday newsletter

You May Also Like