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techview Brian Shaner


Carbon-Fiber Composite Helps GT350 Lighten Up


P


op open the hood of the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang and you’ll see the words “carbon-fi ber com- posite” prominently stamped into the grille.


In response to a request for innovation from Ford Perfor- mance, BASF and Magna partnered with Ford to develop a short carbon-fi ber grille opening reinforcement (GOR), which is the component used to connect the upper rails and the lower frame rails that provides the general shape and structure of the front end. Made with BASF’s polyamide thermoplastic resin, the GOR features 20% short carbon fi ber composition allowing for 24% weight savings compared with the prior plastic-metal hybrid design. In addition to its strength and performance benefi ts, carbon


fi ber has a higher aesthetic quality than steel. Because of this, Ford decided to shed the beauty cover on the Shelby GT350, which is traditionally used to hide the GOR from view. By remov- ing the beauty cover, another weight reduction of approximately 1.9 lb (0.85 kg) was achieved totaling a weight savings of 41%. The team of engineers also decided to play up the innova-


tive nature of this world-fi rst carbon fi ber GOR by molding the words “carbon-fi ber composite” into the part where it would be visible once the hood was opened. Using their patented Resistant Implant Welding (RIW) process, Magna provided an economical and reliable method


Market Segment Manager, Automotive BIW, Chassis & Exterior BASF Performance Materials


to structurally bond together the two large injection molded parts. The RIW process entails placing a conductive element between the two parts that need to be joined, heating the im- plant with an electrical current, melting the resin and applying pressure to join the two parts together. Tom Pilette, Magna Exteriors vice president of product and


process development, said that the properties of the proprietary material and BASF’s expertise is what enabled Magna to take advantage of its RIW joining method with a carbon fi ber polyam- ide composite material, which had never been done before.


The GOR features 20% short carbon fi ber composition allowing for 24% weight savings compared with the prior design.


Once Magna created the shape and concept, Magna and BASF further improved the design and optimized the part through the use of advanced technology such as topology optimization and BASF’s Ultrasim program. Ultrasim is BASF’s proprietary simulation technology used to predict the material’s performance with 90–95% accuracy—unlike current material modeling tools or methods used with fi ber-fi lled materials. This technology was used to fi ne tune the design, maxi- mize structural performance and minimize material usage. These tools helped eliminate multiple steel stampings and dies used by the previous design and reduced the injection mold complexity, resulting in reduced capital investment.


Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang’s grille opening reinforcement made of polyamide thermoplastic resin


Due to its two-piece closed-section design, use of lightweight carbon fi ber material and the joining method, the part qualifi ed as a fi nalist in the 2015 Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE) Innovation Awards. Moving forward, the automotive industry continues to focus on opportunities for reducing the cost of carbon fi ber to further increase market acceptance.


25 — Motorized Vehicle Manufacturing 2016


Photos courtesy


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