lightweighting A North Carolina shop uses composites to reduce weight


A sampling of Fibreworks-made parts.


Less Wait for Weight Cuts W


hat is 30 to 40% lighter than aluminum and twice as strong? Answer: composite structures made with epoxy impregnated carbon fi ber.


The material provides the weight advantage and the com- ponent’s geometry determines its strength characteristics. Since weight reduction is so critical to improved racing car performance, Fibreworks Composites LLC (Mooresville, NC), has barely been able to keep pace with orders for custom racing seats and other race car parts since the composites manufacturer opened in 2009. A deluge of short-run produc- tion and prototype assignments from race teams and OEMs has driven sales growth at an annual pace of 20% or better.


Fibreworks uses a wide variety of composite manu- facturing techniques to achieve customer requirements. Almost all of these involve the use of geometrically complex sculptured patterns and/or molds made from high-density polyurethane foam tooling board. The company initially ordered these from external suppliers. They were expensive purchases, since the 4 x 24 x 60" (102 x 610 x 1524 mm) tooling boards alone cost about $1000 each. That’s before any manufacturing content is added. Worse still, lead times for the boards were a week or more. This was a barrier to growth since race teams frequently need their assignments turned around within days.


36 — Motorized Vehicle Manufacturing 2017


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