Novel automotive construction techniques

© Far-UK 2015 | All rights reserved

Novel automotive construction techniques

Dr Sophie Cozien-Cazuc

Far-UK Ltd

Franco-British Symposium on Composite Materials, 28th-29th April 2015, London

© Far-UK 2015 | All rights reserved 2

Outline

• Introductions

• Background to technology

• Axontex™ technology

• Automotive applications

• Summary


Franco-British journey

• France− Classe préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles

− Engineering degree in Materials - Institutdes Sciences de l’Ingénieur de Toulon et du Var (ISITV)

• UK− MSc in Advanced Materials – Cranfield

University (Erasmus programme)

− PhD in bio-medical composites – The University of Nottingham


Introduction to Far-UK Ltd (1)

• Far-UK Ltd is an SME created in October 2012

• Axon Automotive was bought in August 2013 (site in Wellingborough) and is a subsidiary of Far-UK

• Far Composites is the research base of Far-UK (site in Nottingham)


Introduction to Far-UK Ltd (2)

Understand customers’ “problem to solve”

Build a Technology Roadmap

Set Quality, Cost and Delivery targets

Develop new processes

Select material and processes

Design and Analyse components

Project Manage tooling and equipment

Prove components “off tools, off process”

Customer choice

1) Make the components in-house

2) Far commissions production process in 1st

Tier supplier

3) Far continues to supply production level parts

Develop Design Deliver


Technical background – The market

• EU targets require the automotive industry to reduce GHG emissions

• NAIGT data suggests that a typical C segment vehicle needs to reduce weight by 300 kg by 2025

• Far-UK developing cost-effective vehicle solutions


Cost vs weight?

• Far-UK’s targets

− Sufficient performance

− Good weight saving

− Low cost

Low cost

Low weight High-performance

Far-UK’s positioning


Cost-effective weight saving

• Use cost-effective materials− Inherently cheaper materials

− Move towards not using semi-finished materials

• Use less material− Better design

− Only use expensive materials where you have to

• Less wastage − Move away from preforms

− Net-shape moulding


Axontex™ technology

• Axontex™ is a patented beam technology designed for structural components, mainly for automotive applications

− The patented process produces a carbon fibre composite beam that fails progressively in crash to absorb very large amounts of energy per kg

− Designed specifically for space-frame structures

− Provides maximum design scope from one frame (multiple engine and body options easily accommodated)

− Simple manufacturing process keeps costs under control

− Core technology for Hyundai Intrado and Far Platform Chassis


Beam production

• Introducing Axontex™

• Cellular structure with cross webs

• Cross webs stabilise the section

• Simple elements combine to make complex sections

• Simple to manufacture and assemble


Beam performance

• Specific energy absorption

• Axontex™ beams can be designed to give extremely light

structures still achieving crash performance significantly better than hollow beams

Axontex™ beam under longitudinal crash load

Beam made

with 12K

fibre

R2 = 0.7487

“Heavy” Single Cell Beams

Global Density (g.cm-3)

Sp

ec

ific

En

erg

y A

bso

rptio

n (

J.g

-1)

1 cell

All data points are from beams made with 24K fibre unless

labelled otherwise

4 cell

9 cell


Beam analysis

• Nastran and LS Dyna

• In-house analysis developments supported by DATACOMP project (part of AMSCI CiC)

• Static and crash analysis


Automotive application - Hyundai

• Hyundai Intrado− Hyundai approached Axon Automotive following

successful exhibition of Axon’s award winning Body-In-White at JEC 2012

− Centre piece of the Hyundai 2014 Geneva Motor Show stand

− Winner of JEC 2015 Jury Prize – Innovation Award


Hyundai Intrado

• Five-month delivery timescale for two complete frames

• Car styled by Hyundai− AxontexTM frame gave more styling

freedom than ever before

• Frame engineered and produced by Axon Automotive

• FEA analysis by Far Composites to demonstrate crash potential

6

5

4

9

6

.

1

1 3


Automotive application -Far Platform Chassis (FPC)

• Offering niche car makers a realistic route to the leading edge of automotive technology

• Public launch in November 2014

• Modelled to pass Euro NCAP crash test within defined kerb weight limits

• Flexibility in configuration− Can be designed around

performance or cost

− Can run as EV, hybrid or with ICE

− Accommodate multiple body styles

Far Platform Chassis


• Specifications/sizes− Far-UK supplies

AxontexTM frame (like for the Hyundai Intrado)

Initially 3 options specified

o Sub A segment: wheelbase 1.85m

o A/B segment: wheelbase 2.0 – 2.2m

o C/D segment: wheelbase 2.4 – 2.6m

− Customer supplies

Body - style and panels

Routes to market

Far Platform Chassis (FPC) (1)

Far Platform Chassis – Space frame


• Initial product – A/B option

− Frame weight 65 kg

− Wheelbase 2.2 – 2.4 m

− Track 1.4 m

− Kerb weight 550 kg

− GVW 750 kg

• Designed to suit− Small, light-weight sports cars

− City car applications

− Small delivery vans (especially EV)Far Platform Chassis

Far Platform Chassis (FPC) (2)


Summary

• Cost-effective weight saving is the goal for composite materials in the automotive sector

• Low-cost materials and design are required

• To continue researching thermosets and thermoplastics is a need

• For structural composite components, thermoset resins are relevant

• Thermoplastics may be viable for semi-structural applications (although overall costs to be considered)

• Far-UK Ltd cumulates many years of experience in design, manufacture and analysis of composite materials


Far-UK Ltd – Contact us

Dr Sophie Cozien-Cazuc

Technical Programme Manager

• E-mail: [email protected]

• Phone: + 44 (0) 115 982 4823

Thank you

Any questions?

Far-UK Ltd

• website: www.far-uk.com

• E-mail: [email protected]

• Address: Unit 29Wilford Industrial EstateRuddington LaneNottinghamNG11 7EPU.K.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.far-uk.com/

mailto:[email protected]

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Novel automotive construction techniques