Composite Monocoque Co-Curing Process for Automotive Mass Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing processes for composite material monocoques in the automotive industry are costly and lack repeatability due to high manual intervention, complex systems, and limited mold life, making mass production challenging and prone to production stops and rejects.
Innovation Solution
A process involving co-curing of components with intermediate substrates and modular moulds, using RTM and braiding processes, which reduces mold requirements, allows for precise shaping, and enables the production of high-repeatability parts with reduced costs and increased mold life, along with spacers for structural rigidity and metal inserts for connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual stratification and separate moulding of components is used, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but production cost increases and repeatability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate manufacturing operations into a single integrated moulding process. Multiple components are moulded simultaneously in one operation, eliminating the need for separate moulding and assembly steps. This integration directly improves repeatability by reducing the number of manual operations and variables in the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs universal moulds that can produce multiple different components through a single moulding operation. The mould system is designed to accommodate various component configurations, allowing the same mould infrastructure to manufacture different parts of the monocoque structure, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity and improving consistency.
2Productivity
If numerous separate components are moulded and assembled, then design flexibility is achieved, but production time increases and mass production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple component production and assembly operations into a single simultaneous moulding process. By moulding multiple components in one operation, the production cycle time is dramatically reduced, enabling mass production while maintaining design flexibility through the modular nature of the integrated mould system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates all necessary components and assembly features into the mould design beforehand. The mould system is pre-configured with inserts, positioning features, and multi-cavity arrangements that enable simultaneous production of multiple components with precise relative positioning, eliminating subsequent assembly time and enabling immediate mass production.
3Strength
If pre-impregnated fibers are used, then material performance is optimized, but material cost increases and handling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fiber placement and resin impregnation operations into a single integrated process. Dry fibers are placed in the mould and impregnated with resin during the same moulding operation, eliminating the need for separate pre-impregnation steps. This approach maintains composite material performance while significantly simplifying material handling and reducing material cost.
4Manufacturing precision
If threaded holes are left open during moulding, then insertion is simplified, but resin filling occurs and quality decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary protective action by sealing threaded holes with caps before the moulding process. This prevents resin from entering the threaded holes during impregnation, maintaining thread quality and preventing defects. The caps are removed after moulding, leaving clean, resin-free threaded holes ready for insert installation, thus maintaining both quality and ease of manufacture.
Data Source
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AI summary
Process for manufacturing composite material products (44, 48, 52), which process comprises at least the following operating steps: - moulding at least one plastic material spacer (7) comprising one or more inserts (1, 2); - moulding at least one composite material product (44, 48, 52) comprising at least said spacer (7); - mechanically working at least one (1) of said inserts (1, 2) for forming at least one threaded hole (45) therein. The present invention also relates to the products manufactured with this process.