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High-strength fiber composite components demand increasing

10 Oct '12

3 min read

The worldwide production volume of high-strength CFRP components will grow annually by 17 percent by 2020. This is one of the results of the new study "mass production of high-strength fiber composite components - Perspectives for the German Machinery and Plant" by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and the VDMA Composite Technology Forum.

"Are already in key industries such as automotive, aerospace and wind energy large amounts used of continuous fiber reinforced composite components," explains Ralph Casual, a partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. "With the increasing importance of light in various industries, the demand for these products in the coming years to grow strongly, fall assuming the cost."

Results of the joint study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and the VDMA Composite Technology Forum at a glance:

• By 2020, the cost of fiber composite components expected to fall by 30 percent
• Experts expect maximum performance potential of hybrid components
• Focus on and RTM molding method
• Challenge for the German engineering: to reduce production costs through technological development

The demand for high-strength fiber composite components will cross-industry by 2020, and thus leads to a solid market growth. Until that time, experts expect that the cost of the composite parts are reduced by about 30 percent. After 2020, further cost reductions, particularly by the hybridization of composite components (composite of continuous fiber and other materials such as metal or hardwood), lead to a significant expansion of the market - these hybrids can be produced probably with similar processes as pure composites.

Focus is on RTM and molding of thermoplastics

The trend towards industrialization of the manufacturing toward mass production puts the machinery and plant in a key position.

"In order to produce competitive volume products, enterprises need from the automotive, aerospace and wind energy efficient processes that enable cost-effective production of high-strength fiber composite components," said Frank Peters, Chairman of the VDMA Composite Technology Forum. The need of industry users of modified series machines has significantly increased due to the increasing cost pressure. The organizations require efficient processes in order to produce competitive volume products. The focus is mainly on two processes: the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) - and the compression molding process.

Production cost reduction through joint technology development

A key to success is certainly networking. This must be mainly in the form of cooperation, the machine manufacturer with one another, but also happen in conjunction with the user industry, says Peters. The study showed that from the perspective of the customer / OEM cooperation between different companies is necessary to meet the new requirements of the industrial composite fabrication needs. Partnerships would also lead to the rapid evolution of this technology.

Thus, the method and process costs would be reduced by 40 percent by 2020, the cost of fiber expected to be approximately 20 percent. Thus lowering the overall component costs by about 30 percent can be expected.

The results of the study will be on show at the COMPOSITES EUROPE (Trade Fair for Composites, Technology and Applications) 8th in Dusseldorf October as part of the concurrent AVK Conference on 9 and October 2012 in the exhibition accompanying forum to COMPOSITES EUROPE presents.

VDMA Composite Technology Forum