Automotive Bumper Beam Using In-Situ Polymerized Composite
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bumper beams in automobiles face challenges in achieving a favorable strength-to-weight ratio and are complex to manufacture due to the limitations of existing fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite manufacturing processes, which restrict the fiber content and result in increased weight and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method involving a continuous pultrusion process where fibers are pre-heated and impregnated with a liquid precursor mixture containing a reactive monomer, undergoing in-situ polymerization to form a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin beam element with a corrugated cross-section, allowing for higher fiber content and improved strength-to-weight ratio, and overmolding with thermoplastic material for additional structural elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel is used for bumper beams to ensure strength and stiffness, then crash resistance is improved, but weight increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite materials consisting of continuous fibers (such as glass, carbon, or aramid fibers) embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. This composite structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio, achieving crash resistance comparable to steel while significantly reducing weight. The continuous fiber reinforcement ensures structural integrity and impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of thermoplastic materials during processing. The thermoplastic resin is heated above its melting point to become a viscous melt that can impregnate fiber bundles, then cooled to solidify and form the final structural component. This parameter change enables complex shape formation and integration of multiple functions in a single piece.
2Weight of moving object
If fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite is used to reduce weight, then strength-to-weight ratio is improved, but fiber content is limited by melt viscosity constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the temperature and viscosity parameters of the thermoplastic melt during processing. By maintaining the melt at optimal temperature and viscosity ranges, the process enables thorough impregnation of fiber bundles with high fiber content (exceeding 60% by volume) while ensuring complete saturation and proper fiber distribution in the final composite structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex shapes are demanded by automobile body design, then design adaptability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases with additional stiffeners and brackets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions and structural elements into a single bumper beam component. The thermoplastic composite process allows incorporation of stiffening ribs, mounting brackets, and structural reinforcements directly into the molded part, eliminating the need for separate components and assembly operations. This merging reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining design adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the thermoplastic material's ability to be molded into complex shapes during the phase transition from melt to solid. The material can be formed into intricate geometries, integrated reinforcement structures, and complex surface profiles in a single molding operation, achieving high design adaptability without increasing manufacturing complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If depolymerization-repolymerization mechanism is used for manufacturing, then fiber impregnation is achieved, but maximum temperature is limited by repolymerization capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the depolymerization-repolymerization mechanism of thermoplastic polyurethane, where heating above the glass transition temperature causes depolymerization into oligomers that can penetrate fiber bundles, followed by repolymerization upon cooling to form the final structure. This parameter change enables effective fiber impregnation while controlling the temperature within limits that preserve the material's repolymerization capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces a crash-resistant structural part with enhanced strength-to-weight ratio and simplified manufacturing, enabling lighter and more efficient crash-resistant components for automobiles while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the beam element is formed by an in-situ polymerization reaction of the liquid precursor mixture having impregnated the at least one layer of fibers
Implementation Method 2
The reactive monomer is a cyclic monomer, and the in-situ polymerization reaction is performed via ring-opening polymerization of the reactive monomer
Implementation Method 3
The method further comprises a step of pre-heating the at least one layer of fibers before the step of impregnating the at least one layer of fibers with the liquid precursor mixture
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a crash-resistant structural part for an automobile, the crash-resistant structural part including a beam element for receiving an impact force during a crash of the automobile is provided. The method comprises a step of arranging at least one layer of fibers having a length of 100 mm or more, and a step of mixing components required to form a thermoplastic polymer resin, the components including a reactive monomer, thereby forming a liquid precursor mixture of the thermoplastic polymer resin. At least one layer of fibers is impregnated with the liquid precursor mixture, and the beam element is formed by an in-situ polymerization reaction of the liquid precursor mixture having impregnated the at least one layer of fibers.