Automotive

Link to: ACG Automotive Product Selector Guide (PSG)

Link to: Product Data Catalogue

Link to: ACG Automotive Case Studies

Contact: ACG Automotive Market Sector Manager - Alex Aucken
e-mail: aaucken @ acg.co.uk

News Archives	2009	2008	2007	Older
Automotive

Advanced Composites Group (ACG), a world leading formulator and manufacturer of technologically advanced, customised composite materials, provides a range of composite glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) prepreg materials, and film and liquid resin products specifically aimed at the cost-efficient production of automotive structures using vacuum bag, press moulding and both in and out-of-autoclave (OOA) processing techniques.

Having introduced the first carbon composites onto race-cars in the 1970s, and then developed the accepted approach to manufacture integrated carbon composite monocoques in the 1980s, ACG has subsequently designed, developed or manufactured over 700 road and race-car chassis. ACG has continued this theme by developing and translating this technology for effective application of advanced composites in the automotive industry, where it supports OEMs and suppliers who face fundamental challenges to build affordable, lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Many super car manufacturers continue to use ACG's advanced composites prepregs for interior and exterior structural, cosmetic and panel applications. Our press releases and newsletters bear witness to their faith in our technically superior prepregs, and dedicated technical support service at each stage in the product evaluation, design and manufacturing process.

ACG is a reputable composite technology supplier offering full turnkey application development right from design through to concept and prototype manufacture. The service includes material, processing and technical support for each step from initial carbon composite component design through to prototyping and production process optimization, including full CAD and CAE optimization, throughout the application development process. The OEM defines production component manufacture and supplier nomination.

Whilst the superior performance of composites has been known for many years, their cost, cycle times and manufacturing processes have always held them back from high volume manufacture. This is no longer the case, and detailed technical and commercial application development studies have now shown that fully composite structures and applications are competitive and very cost effective against traditional materials up to production volumes of between 25,000 and 30,000 per year. Although the cost of raw materials may still be higher than traditional metals, the total component and system costs are often significantly lower, primarily due to the dramatically lower tooling investment. Ease of component and system integration dramatically simplifies vehicle manufacture to reduce costs even further.

ACG offers unique products, from initial styling to prototype manufacture through to production of components and systems, including manufacturing jigs and fixtures to satisfy stringent industry quality requirements. ACG's automotive support team designs material solutions that reduce the time to market and meet, and often exceed, the requirements for vehicle weight reduction, cost reduction and integration of improved safety applications. Working with automotive OEMs and their suppliers around the world, ACG continues to focus on developing new proprietary technology to facilitate the creation of exciting, innovative and competitive composite applications, including complete vehicle structures, and to enable customers' differentiate their products in the market place, while also exploiting current and emerging composite technologies.

ACG's continual material and processing developments offer genuine automotive solutions to the industry's complex engineering and commercial challenges. Greater design integration opportunities, together with flexibility of styling and manufacturing, result in significant fuel economy and programme cost savings.

The Group is also actively engaged in the design, development and manufacture of composite tooling for automotive applications. Please refer to our Composite Tooling page, the associated Automotive Product Selector Guide (PSG) and our Product Data Catalogue for additional information.

Our Automotive PSG has been designed to facilitate the selection of composite glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP)/carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) resin pre-impregnated (prepreg) materials for automotive applications. General indications on mechanical performance and processing are also highlighted in the PSG. Full product details can be found in our standard product data sheets, which are in our data catalogue. Specific details are available on request from our comprehensive fibre/resin material database.

Our Automotive PSG is designed to help prospective users identify the most suitable composite glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP)/ carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) resin pre-impregnated (prepreg) material for a specific application, component type, and proposed processing technique. The PSG contains only the key processing or performance characteristics for our advanced resin systems, with detailed information relating to impregnation into a range of composite glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials presented in individual product data sheets.

Please refer to our data catalogue for a complete range of products. Use the Quick Links (above - left) to access the data catalogue and PSG.

Typical Automotive Applications

Exterior Body Panels

BPS240 body panel system has been developed to give out-of-mould "Class A" compatible surfaces for horizontal and vertical body panels and closures. Suitable for finishing with standard automotive low and high bake paint systems, BPS240 offers up to 65% weight reduction over conventional steel body panels and processing flexibility including compression moulding, oven cure and autoclave processes.

Full Vehicle Structure

ACG offers materials full monocoque, bulkheads, roof systems, etc, and can provide expert guidance on designed for manufacture in prototype and mass production environments. The benefits that ACG's prepreg systems offer include:

• FEA optimised low weight construction.
• Total cost saving over traditional structures.
• Mass production.
• Significant weight saving.
• Short development and tooling lead time.

Structural Bulkheads

ACG offer structural design and manufacturing optimisation for low and high volume process applications.

Full technical and commercial design support including production-processing recommendations for minor vehicle structures aimed at increasing vehicle performance and reducing weight.

Interior Trim

Several ACG materials have undergone extended ultra-violet (UV) resistance and weathering trials and are used widely on car interior trims.

Structural Integration

Re-design engineering can integrate several components into a single part, providing major structural, weight, and cost benefits.

Impact and Energy Absorption Application

Composite materials can offer advantages in impact structures: increasing and managing energy absorption at the same time as reducing weight. Several ACG materials have undergone extended UV resistance and weathering trials and are used widely on car interior trims.

Customer Support

Production Capabilities

• BS EN ISO 9001, TS 16949 and AS9100 (prEN 9100) Approved Quality Assurance.
• Batch hot melt prepreg manufacture to exact customer specifications.
• Quality Assurance to customer specifications.
• Rapid turnaround, JIT delivery to agreed schedules.
• Variable presentation formats.
• Controlled stock facility.
  

Test/Manufacturing Facilities

• Complete composite materials test capability (including mechanical testing, C.A.I. FMBAI, TMA, Rheology, DSC, C-Scan, image analysis).
• Dedicated test house.
• ACG Technology Centre.
• Vacuum, press and autoclave moulding.
• C.N.C. Machining, 5 axis 3.5m x 2.5m x 1.5m bed integrated with CAD/CMM.
  

Research and Development Programmes

• Finite element analysis (FEA) mechanical database preparation.
• Impact tolerance screening.
• Crash test simulations (high temperature capability).
• New resin/fibre type evaluation.
• Prototype/concept part manufacture and testing.
• Experienced R&D programme engineers to control projects.

Technical Support

• On-site support and demonstration as requested.
• Experienced automotive project engineers and laminators.
• Rapid response to all telephone enquiries.
• Experienced field sales engineers.
• Composite design engineering/manufacturing approved to BS EN ISO 9001.
• Regular technical meetings/updates for contracted customer.

Sub-Contract Loan of Labour

• Experienced engineers, laminators and fitters are available to assist customers during peak manufacturing periods (subject to availability).

Training

• Tooling and introductory classes.
• Design for manufacture.
• Bespoke customer specific.
  

Services

• Short production lead times.
• Dedicated freezer van deliveries in UK and mainland Europe.
• Rapid delivery service across the globe.

Link to: ACG Automotive Product Selector Guide (PSG)

Link to: Product Data Catalogue