ARENA2036 – Automotive Lightweight Structures with Functional Integration

Kurzfassung

Fiber-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) materials are playing an increasingly important role in further weight reduction efforts in the automotive industry due to their comparatively high specific mechanical properties in comparison to conventional automotive materials. However a widespread use of these high-performance materials in the automotive industry is prevented by their comparatively high costs. In order to make profitable use of these materi-als secondary weight saving potentials need to be utilized. Through integration of additional functions into the load bearing structures, secondary weight-saving potentials can be made accessible by eliminating redundant components and therefore lead to reduced overall masses. The conceptual work in ARENA2036 “Intelligent Lightweight Construction with Functional Integration” (LeiFu) aims for an integration of a va-riety of functions and components into the primary structures of an automotive floor module in order to decrease the overall part count and achieve a reduction in the total weight. Due to their specific design and manufacturing processes, FRP materials offer opportunities for functional integration on multiple levels during fabrication and assembly. The possibilities for complex structural geometry in combination with further materials, for example in sandwich structures, provide functional integration potential on a component level (e.g. air ducts, component housings, fluid containers or heat insulation). Furthermore the semi-finished textiles allow integrated sensory functions (e.g. temperature monitoring or fluid detection in the battery module). Besides an optimized structural design, the floor module concepts have to address challeng-es like adapted assembly concepts and joining technologies. An integrated approach of methods, materials and design is the key for developing concepts for holistic lightweight solu-tions. Suitable design and optimization tools are used to support the development process in order to obtain a fiber- and load-path-oriented design. A strong coupling of these methods with suitable manufacturing processes is essential in order to make use of these promising weight-saving potentials.