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U.S. Department of Energy
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Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Development of Carbon Fiber Composites for Lightweight Vehicles

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1502875· OSTI ID:1502875
 [1];  [2]
  1. Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI (United States); Ford Motor Company
  2. Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI (United States)

This project, Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Development of Carbon Fiber Composites for Lightweight Vehicles, develops Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) techniques for Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites and uses these ICME tools within a multi-disciplinary optimization scheme to design a carbon-fiber intensive front subframe for a passenger sedan. The subframe is a structural automotive component with stringent requirements for vibration, strength, durability and safety performance. CFRP composites, with a density of 1.55 g/cm3 and a tensile strength of up to 2,000 MPa in the fiber direction, have a high strength-to-weight ratio, making them one of the most promising candidates to replace the metals currently used for automotive structural components. By increasing the accessibility of CFRP component designs, reducing development-to-deployment lead time of CFRP components, and improving the robustness of initial designs, this project supports weight reduction in light-duty vehicles. These efforts can help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles and have the potential to improve national energy independence.

Research Organization:
Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
EE0006867
OSTI ID:
1502875
Report Number(s):
EE0006867
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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