Background
The research group Lightweight Construction of Saxion and HAN Automotive Research along with a business group jointly investigate the central research question:
“What are the potential applications of thermoplastic composites in high-stress and safety-critical automotive components?”
This is also linked to secondary questions:
- How can this be mass-produced to meet the demand?
- And what would be the pricing?
Since the variation of components in a vehicle is vast, this research has been framed with respect to specific vehicle components (the unsprung weight of a vehicle, in other words - the wheel suspension). The solutions and knowledge obtained during this research phase, however, could be largely applicable to other automotive components.
In this project different functionalities of the suspension of vehicles, more specifically spring, damper and the steering knuckle, would have to be re-designed based on the requirements and the challenges occurring in practice. Emphasis will be placed on the manufacturability of products based on the changed conditions such that, the deployment of TPC materials and it’s production could be possible. Materials that would be required during the course of this research would be supplied by 2C Composites, DSM, COMFIL, Formosa Composites and Henkel.
The developed concepts will be analyzed by using modern computer models (mathematical and finite elements). Then the design stage to production should be developed by implementing specific production concepts.
