TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Low-Cost Carbon-Fibre-Based Automotive Body Panel Systems: A Performance and Manufacturing Cost Comparison
JO  - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of automobile engineering
A1  - Turner, T. A.
A1  - Harper, L. T.
A1  - Warrior, N. A.
A1  - Rudd, C. D.
SP  - 53
EP  - 63
VL  - 222
IS  - 1
N2  - 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 (sem-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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p> 
LA  - en
SN  - 0954-4070
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1243/09544070JAUTO406
ID  - ref1
ER  -