Automotive

The automotive industry’s first composite engine shroud is being produced by Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) for the dual-wall dashboard that features in Ford’s 2020 Explorer. 

Tesla, the Palo Alto, California, USA-based manufacturer of electric vehicles, has developed what it describes as "a new type of fabric architecture” claimed to make automotive seating both soft an

A method for producing a yarn from automotive textile waste, particularly synthetic fibres, has been developed by two French companies, vehicle maker Renault of Boulogne-Billancourt and yarn spinne

A glass fibre-reinforced polyamide (PA) 6 from Lanxess is being used by Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co KG to produce steering-column-switch housings for various models of Ford’s Fiesta, Focus and Eco

Following the signing of a joint development agreement, Teijin Ltd is to supply materials to AEV Robotics for the development of its modular vehicle system.

Continuous glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composite sheets from Lanxess of Cologne, Germany, are being used to produce the large front-end support structure for the Mercedes-Benz GLE sports u

A lightweight polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre-based nonwoven wheelarch liner that absorbs tyre noise has been launched by Autoneum of Winterthur, Switzerland.

Glass fibre-reinforced polyamide (PA) 6s from Lanxess are being used in the high-volume manufacture of lightweight shells for the electronically adjustable rear seats in Audi’s A8 sedan.

Teijin Ltd is to buy tier one composite parts supplier Benet Automotive sro from Jet Investment. The terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

Automotive technology company Faurecia is to create a facility for hydrogen storage systems at its research and development (R&D) centre in Bavans, France.

A method for manufacturing light-producing automotive interior trim parts has been developed by Benecke-Kaliko of Hanover, Germany.

Autoneum of Winterthur, Switzerland, has adapted its sound-absorbing automotive underfloor system (Ultra-Silent) for the production of battery undercovers for electric vehicles (EVs).

Carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) from Teijin Ltd are being employed by General Motors (GM) to manufacture pickup boxes for selected models of its vehicles.

A project through which mixed-material joining technologies will be tested and evaluated has been established by research institutes Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow (LIFT) of Detroit and the C

A prototype battery enclosure for NIO’s electric vehicles that is made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) has been developed by the Chinese carmaker in partnership with SGL Carbon.

A glass fibre-reinforced sheet moulding compound (SMC) from CSP Victall is being used to produce the pickup boxes of Jiangling Motors Corp (JMC)’s Yuhu 3 and Yuhu 5 trucks—the first such use of com

A carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) moulding compound from Hexcel of Stamford, Connecticut, USA, has been used to produce an automotive transmission cross-member using what the company claims

A car door made from multiple composites that meets crash performance specifications while being 35% lighter in weight than steel-made equivalents will be showcased at JEC World.

Mitsui & Co Ltd has bought additional shares in a manufacturer of plastic-lined carbon fibre reinforced-plastic (CFRP) pressure cylinders, Hexagon Composites ASA, for NOK123 million (about €12.

A sound attenuation sheet designed to reduce noise in automotive applications while being lighter in weight than existing products has been developed by Pritex, a manufacturer of acoustic and therm

The developer of a novel pultrusion process claims that it is capable of producing affordable carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts in high-enough volumes for the mainstream automotive indus

A thermally insulating composite housing for batteries used in electric vehicles has been developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability (LBF)

A method for improving the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics of aluminium vehicle subframes using carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) has earned its developers a nomination fo

A textile structure for use in vehicle trim that absorbs wind-, rolling- and engine-noise, and also helps to protect passengers from fragments in the event of a collision, has been developed by Vol

The UK-based developer of a process for the manufacture of carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) parts claims its method is significantly quicker than those of its competitors.

A novel fabric made of alternating polyamide (PA) cords with different constructions has been developed for use in tyres by Kordsa Teknik Tekstil of Izmit/Kocaeli, Turkey.

SGL Carbon is to supply carbon fibres and semi-finished textile products for a range of components in BMW’s upcoming electric vehicle (EV), the iNEXT, after signing an agreement with the carmaker. 

A carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) chassis developed by KW Special Projects (KWSP) is to be used by Swedish car company Uniti of Lund for its affordable electric vehicle (EV), the Unit

McLaren Automotive has opened its £50-million Composites Technology Centre in Sheffield, UK.

Lightweight, easy-to-use carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger dummies have been developed by Indupol of Arendonk, Belgium.

A radially shrinkable textile tube for encasing elongated objects has been developed by Iprotex of Münchberg, Germany.

Carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) structural batteries – which carry mechanical load and store electrical energy – are being developed by researchers at Chalmers University in ‎Gothenburg, Swe

Carbon fibre recycling start-up Vartega of Golden, Colorado, USA, is leading a project to develop a closed-loop process for recycling scrap from the manufacture of automotive parts made of carbon f

A textile composite designed to absorb sound in vehicles has been developed by Freudenberg of Weinheim, Germany.

By the end of 2018, Ford plans to be using graphene in ten under-the-bonnet (under-the-hood) components on its F-150 and Mustang.

An embroidery process (Tailored Fibre Placement (TFP)), developed by ZSK Technical Embroidery Systems is being used by Shape Group to manufacture the wheel arch of Elemental Motor Co's RP1 sportsca

The price of polyamide (PA) 6.6 has increased by more than 40% since 2017 as availability of the material has declined, putting manufacturers of plastic parts for the automotive industry in serious

Cost-effective, scalable methods for the production of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are to be developed by a consortium in the UK with the aim of improving the performance of electric v

Renault and its partners have been presented with an award for the composite guide rails employed in the rollerblind sunroof module for the panoramic roof system featured on two of its multipurpose

Sportscar manufacturer Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), Haydale Composite Solutions (HCS) and Pentaxia Composites have received funding to develop graphene-enhanced composites for automotive applic

Carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) oil control valves are being used by an Asian carmaker in place of conventional machined aluminium versions to reduce the weight and cost of its engine

Teijin Ltd  of Tokyo, Japan, is positioning itself as one of the largest suppliers of composites to the automotive industry with its acquisition of component manufacturer Inapal Plasticos SA of Por

Teijin Group subsidiary Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) is to invest approximately €5.1-million to install a sheet moulding compound (SMC) line at its facility in Pouance, France.

A non-kinking, self-wrapping woven sleeve that provides protection to an underlying elongate material has been developed by Federal-Mogul.

An improved moulded inner dash trim part for a vehicle has been developed by Autoneum of Winterthur, Switzerland.

Magna International of Aurora, Ontario, Canada, collected three first-place awards at the 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Awards gala held in Dusseldorf, Germany, on 6

A reinforced thermoplastic containing electrically conductive fibres that allow it to be heated more quickly and evenly than is possible using conventional techniques is being developed by Toyota M

A lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) engine bay brace for the high-performance Audi R8 has been developed by the carmaker, materials supplier Hexcel and pullwinding specialist Secar