Lightweight multi-material structures

Lightweight multi-material structures

Material innovation

Using lightweight and recyclable materials is an extremely important topic in designing cleaner and more energy sufficient vehicles. Therefore, there is a continuous drive towards developing lighter vehicles made of lightweight and sustainable materials. Examples of car brands that have already used alternatives for steel parts are the BMW (i3: fibre composite material) and the Tesla (model S: aluminium). The Dutch automotive supplier industry invests heavily in innovation of products and materials in order to comply with this demand.

Learn from other sectors

For realising these innovations we among others look at the lessons learned in advanced composites from the aerospace and wind power industries. Both, highly represented in the Dutch industrial landscape.

Joint lightweight research

ACE performs joint research with automotive companies and Universities of Applied Sciences to identify opportunities for Fibre Reinforced Composites for safety critical automotive applications which are designed for repair and recycling. Our aim is to set up a pilot plant and, in the end, a shared facility in order to understand high volume fibre reinforced manufacturing aspects (safety, process design, product demands, integration, etc.), Industry 4.0 and Virtual Twin technology.