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Cost and weight efficient partitioning of composite automotive structures
Author(s) -
Mårtensson Per,
Zenkert Dan,
Åkermo Malin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.23795
Subject(s) - automotive industry , composite number , partition (number theory) , differential (mechanical device) , materials science , manufacturing cost , composite material , production cost , computer science , mechanical engineering , engineering , mathematics , combinatorics , aerospace engineering
To make carbon fiber composites not only weight but also cost effective in high volume production the different cost drivers need to be addressed and new design philosophies considered. This study analyzes integral and differential design approaches when partitioning large complex composite structures. The influence of different partition philosophies are investigated based on a framework of composites manufacturing cost modelling and structural optimization and the effects are exemplified by a case study. The results show that depending on how the partitioning is made the structural performance and the manufacturing cost is affected. More particularly, if the partitioning is made with the most beneficial philosophy differential designs can improve both these important parameters. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2174–2181, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers