Hybrid Motor Vehicle Component with Metallic Layer Reinforcement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing fiber composite material components for motor vehicles are complex and costly, offering limited weight savings and crash energy absorption compared to metallic components, with prior art methods like hybrid materials and cold-formed metal components not effectively addressing the need for lightweight, high-strength components.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a three-dimensionally shaped, hot-formed motor vehicle component with a metallic base body and a reinforcement patch made of pre-impregnated fiber composite material, where a metallic layer is applied to the fiber composite material for enhanced strength and crash energy absorption, using residual heat for hardening and minimizing production complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If fiber composite material components are used to reduce weight, then weight savings are achieved, but crash energy absorption capacity drops significantly when individual fibers tear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent weightVSAvoidcrash energy absorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines fiber composite material (for weight reduction) with metallic material (for crash energy absorption) to create a hybrid component. The metal layers are integrated between fiber layers, forming a composite structure that leverages the advantages of both materials: the fiber provides lightweight properties while the metal provides ductility and crash energy absorption capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If hybrid materials with metal sheets and fiber textiles are used, then crash properties improve, but production complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrash energy absorption capacityVSAvoidproduction process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hybrid component is divided into distinct functional layers: fiber layers for weight reduction and metal layers for crash energy absorption. This segmentation allows each material to be optimized for its specific function and simplifies the production process by enabling separate processing of fiber and metal layers before integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Metal layers are strategically placed in specific regions where crash energy absorption is most critical, rather than uniformly distributing metal throughout the entire component. This local reinforcement approach minimizes metal usage and production complexity while maximizing crash properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If uncured fiber composite material is positioned in the curing tool, then forming is possible, but positioning is difficult due to damp or slippery raw material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming capabilityVSAvoidpositioning difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Metal layers are applied to the fiber composite material before insertion into the curing tool. This preliminary action creates a non-slip surface that facilitates easy positioning and handling of the raw material in the forming tool, while still allowing subsequent curing and forming operations to proceed as intended.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 results in a motor vehicle hybrid component with significantly improved crash energy absorption and strength properties while maintaining a low specific weight, achieved with reduced production effort and cost, by integrating a metallic layer for local reinforcement and using residual heat for faster curing.

Implementation Method 1

Moulding of the fiber composite material into the motor vehicle component to produce the motor vehicle hybrid component, with residual heat from the motor vehicle component being used to harden the reinforcement patch

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResidual heat: Thermal Energy Storage

Implementation Method 2

provision of two, in particular three or more layers of fiber material, which are stacked one on top of the other, the layers being pre-impregnated with resin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResin impregnation: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2586598B1Method for manufacturing a motor vehicle component

Publication Date: 2016.12.28 BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a vehicle hybrid component (1) and to a vehicle hybrid component (1) manufactured according to the invention, which is characterized in that a base body is made of metallic material and is reinforced with a reinforcing patch (8) made of fiber composite material. Additionally, the reinforcing patch (8) has a metallic layer (10) which increases the component strength while maintaining an approximately constant specific weight.