MATERIALS | THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES
To test the transferability of the process, Engel
and Pure Loop collaborated with LIT Factory in Linz, Austria to produce sample parts made from the regranulate with near-series maturity, in an integrat- ed process. Continuous fibre-reinforced thermo- plastic sheets were cut to size and fed to the handling robot via magazines. The cut sheets were heated in the integrated IR oven, inserted by the articulated robot into the mould mounted to an Engel Duo 350 injection press, formed and over- moulded with the offcut waste regranulate. Engel says the component achieved very good quality and high efficiency in the integrated manufacturing process, demonstrating the potential of processing the regranulate for series production applications in lightweight automotive engineering. Engel and Pure Loop are continuing their work together to leverage the potential of this application. Aimplas, the Spanish plastics technology centre,
is a partner in two projects targeting the use of thermoplastic composites in the automotive and transport industries. The reduction of vehicle emissions through weight reduction in electric vehicles is an approach developed in response to the automotive industry’s challenge of reducing CO2
emissions prompted by legislation and the
Below: Aimplas is working in the Smart5G project
demands of society which call for heightened environmental awareness. Aimplas is part of the Lightcar project which aims to develop new sustainable materials and process- es that will replace metallic materials with long fibre composites. Weight reduction in electric vehicles is one of the keys to making emission reductions a reality. Lighter vehicles require less energy to run so their range is increased compared to heavier vehicles with the same batteries. The composites industry therefore aims to replace metal parts with new composite materials that help reduce battery weight by 50-70%, according to Aimplas. New long-fibre thermoplastic composites that
provide lightness, impact resistance and rigidity, as well as good recyclability and processability using conventional, efficient manufacturing methods, with low waste generation are being developed in the project. The project also looks to design a flexible, high-speed production cell for the manu- facture of composite thermoplastic parts in which electronic components can be fitted. The Lightcar project is funded by the Valencian
Innovation Agency, is coordinated by Industrias Alegre, and has participation by other centres and companies, including Itera Soluciones de Ingene- ria, and Sinfiny Smart Technologies.
Battery housing Aimplas is also part of a project that is developing a lightweight battery case for electric vehicles. According to Begoña Galindo, a sustainable mobility researcher at Aimplas, many drivers of electric cars are troubled by what is known as “range anxiety”, a common worry drivers feel when they believe their battery will run down and leave them stranded. Aimplas is working with the Smart5G project to develop a safe, intelligent efficient and sustainable system that enables drivers to replace their discharged battery packs with charged ones, thus avoiding waiting for their battery to charge. “The project is specifically focused on develop- ing a system that allows dead batteries to be quickly swapped for batteries charged with solar energy. The system uses artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to predict a cars’ energy consumption and battery usage. The Smart5G project also involves creating an intelligent energy manage- ment system that improves security and safety and eliminates the risk of electromagnetic interference,” says Galindo. Lightweight, electromagnetically charged, shielded composite materials are being developed with the Smart5G project to optimise the new electric vehicle models for efficiency and to ensure that the battery is protected. The Smart5G initiative is also developing sustainable, structural battery casings for light- weight vehicles based on reusable, recyclable, long-fibre thermoplastic composites with flame retardant additives and particles for electromag- netic shielding. Replacing older metal battery casings with new thermoplastic composite casings increases vehicle range by reducing vehicle weight. This in turn reduces energy costs and energy consumption and reduces the carbon footprint. Aimplas is collaborating on the Smart5G project with Itera Mobiity Engineering, Elix Polymers, and the University of Valencia.
18 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2023
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: AIMPLAS
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