Automotive Weight Reduction Expo 2015
Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics and high-tensile steel sheet processing
2015/03/05
- Summary
- CFRTP processing technologies
- H-One's cold forging for ultrahigh-tensile steel sheets; Kurimoto's magnesium alloys
- Plastic processing: Sumitomo Bakelite, Toyobo, Ube Industries and Yamashita Electric
Summary
 An example of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics use (exhibited by Ichimura Sangyo) |
The fifth Automotive Weight Reduction Expo and the first Automotive Parts Manufacturing Expo were held in January 2015 as part of the Automotive World 2015 at the Tokyo Big Sight. This report focuses on weight reduction technologies for automotive use that were introduced at the two exhibitions.
One of the highlights was the engineering technology for Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics (CFRTP). Ichimura Sangyo Co., Ltd., one of the Toray group companies, exhibited "stampable" CFRTP and their samples. Asano Co., Ltd. exhibited hybrid molding technologies that used Ichimura Sangyo's CFRTP, resins and metals. Sato Machinery Works Co., Ltd. and Daido Kogyo Co., Ltd. also exhibited their CFRTP processing technologies.
H-One Co., Ltd. exhibited cold-forging technology using 1470MPa-class ultrahigh -strength stainless steel which is in the company's trial production stage. The company also exhibited technologies for bending pipes in arbitrary 3D shapes during hot-quenching . Kurimoto, Ltd. displayed magnesium alloys that are under development.
Plastic processing technologies were also exhibited by several manufacturers. Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. exhibited a new method for molding long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics. Toyobo Co., Ltd. exhibited foam molding technologies and Ube Industries, Ltd. exhibited polyamide that accepts non-electrolytic plating. Yamashita Electric Co., Ltd. exhibited a molding technology that leaves no weld lines on parts.
Related Reports:
Automotive World 2015 (Feb. 2015):
European OEMs and suppliers plan to launch 48V hybrid systems after 2016
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) by Bosch, Denso and Renesas
EV & HEV Drive System Technology Expo 2015
Automotive World 2014:
EV & HEV Drive System Technology Expo 2014 (Feb. 2014)
Automotive Weight Reduction Expo 2014
(Part 1): High-strength steel sheets, lightweight metals, and 3D Printing (Feb. 2014)
(Part 2): Weight reduction technologies through the use of resin and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (Mar. 2014)
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