Carbon—;fibre—;based composite manufacturing processes have been considered for automotive body panel applications. A full—;scale front wing—fender component was produced using two composite manufacturing processes (a semi—;impregnated (semi—;preg) system and a novel directed fibre preforming—resin transfer moulding process) and compared with an existing stamped steel component for mechanical properties, weight saving, and cost, using a technical—;cost—;modelling procedure. Mechanical testing demonstrates that the carbon fibre composite solutions can provide 40—50 per cent weight saving for an equivalent bending stiffness to steel panels and greatly improved dent resistance. For the part studied, carbon fibre semi—;preg systems offered the lowest cost process up to around 500 parts/annum and directed fibre preforming technologies were cheaper between 500 and 9000 parts/annum. The steel component was seen to be more cost effective at volumes above around 9000 parts/annum.
JamborA.BeyerM.New cars - new materials. Mater. Des.199718(4–6)203–209.
2.
International newsULSAB Consortium unveils the new look of ultralight steel auto body. Mater. Des.199617107–110.
3.
CarleD.BlountG.The suitability of aluminium as an alternative material for car bodies. Mater. Des.199920267–272.
4.
FrostM.SolankiD.MillsA.Resin film infusion processing of carbon fibre composite automotive body panels. SAMPE J.200339(4)44–49.
5.
WarriorN. A.HarperL. T.TurnerT. A.SchubelP. J.RuddC. D.KendallK. N.Affordable lightweight body structures (ALBOS). In Proceedings of the JSAE Annual Congress, Pacifico, Yokohama, Japan2004, pp. 19–22 (Society of Automotive Engineers of JapanTokyo).
6.
BrandtM. R.ReeveS. R.Directed fibre preform case studies. In Composites2001Composite Fabricators AssociationTampa, Florida).
7.
ChavkaN. G.DahlJ. S.P4 preforming technology development utilizing E-glass and carbon fibers. In Proceedings of the SAMPE International Symposium, Detroit, Michigan, USA1999, pp. 15–21 (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process EngineeringCovina, California).
8.
HarperL. T.TurnerT. A.WarriorN. A.RuddC. D.Automated preform manufacture for affordable lightweight body structures. In Proceedings of the 26th International SAMPE Europe Conference, Paris, France2005, pp. 214–219 (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process EngineeringCovina, California).
9.
KendallK. N.ManginC. G. E.OrtizE.Discrete event simulation and cost analysis for manufacturing optimisation of an automotive LCM component. Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Mfg199829711–720.
10.
AkermoM.AstromB. T.Modelling component cost in compression moulding of thermoplastic composite and sandwich components. Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Mfg200031319–333.
11.
SchubelP. J.WarriorN. A.KendallK. N.RuddC. D.Characterisation of thermoset laminates for cosmetic automotive applications: Part I - surface characterisation. Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Mfg200537(10)1734–1746.
12.
BaoH. P.SamarehJ. A.Affordable design: A methodology to implement process-based manufacturing cost models into the traditional performance focussed multidisciplinary design optimization. In Proceedings of the Eighth AIAA/NASA/USAF/ISSMO Symposium on Multidisciplinary analysis and optimization, Long Beach, California, USA, 2000, paper no. 2000–4839 (AIAA, Reston, VA, USA).
13.
GutowskiT.HoultD.DillonG.NeohE. T.MuterS.KimE.TseM.Development of a theoretical cost model for advanced composite fabrication. Composite Mfg19945(4)231–239.
14.
Northrop Corporation, Advanced composites cost estimating manual (ACCEM). Technical report AFFDL-TR-76–87, Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Pattens Air Force Base Dayton, OhioAugust 1976.
15.
WakemanM. D.MansonJ.-A. E.Cost analysis. In Design and manufacture of textile composites (Ed. LongA. C.)2005, pp. 364–404 (Woodhead PublishingCambridge).
16.
HarperL. T.TurnerT. A.WarriorN. A.DahlJ. S.RuddC. D.Characterisation of random short-fibre composites from automated spray-processes: Analysis of microstructural parameters. Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Mfg200637(11)2136–2147.
17.
HarperL. T.TurnerT. A.WarriorN. A.RuddC. D.Characterisation of random short-fibre composites from automated spray-processes: Effect of fibre length. Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Mfg200637(11)1863–1878.
18.
HarperL. T.TurnerT. A.WarriorN. A.RuddC. D.Characterisation of random short-fibre composites from a directed fibre preforming process: The effect of tow filamentisation. Composites Part A: Appl. Sci. Mfg200738(3)755–770.
19.
ISO 527–1. Plastics - determination of tensile properties - Part I: general principles1993 (International Organization for StandardizationGeneva).
20.
BS EN ISO 14126. Fibre-reinforced plastics - determination of compressive properties in the inplane direction1999 (British Standards InstitutionLondon).
21.
ASTM D7078/D7078M-05. Standard test method for shear properties of composite materials by V-notched rail shear method2005 (ASTM InternationalWest Conshohocken, Pennsylvania).
22.
WeagerB. M.RuddC. D.CliffordM. J.Evaluation of the denting performance of hybrid composite/metal laminates for lightweight automotive body panels. In Proceedings of the 24th International SAMPE Europe Conference, Paris, France2003 (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process EngineeringCovina, California).
