Voith shows new carbon fibre production line at JEC World
March 21, 2018 - France
Voith showed its new carbon fibre manufacturing line at JEC World 2018, a leading global trade show for composites, which was being held from March 6 to 8, 2018, in Paris. The company, leading in the energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive markets, displayed the digital production line for Audi A8 carbon fibre rear wall panel.
With the new line, Voith will elevate the industrialisation of composites production to a new level, as it continues to grow in the automotive and aerospace markets with the production of carbon composite components.
The patented Voith Roving Applicator (VRA) is the core and one of the main parts of this state-of-the-art production line producing the CFRP rear panel for the new Audi A8. This high-load structural component has a complex carbon fibre structure with local reinforcements and is produced using direct fibre placement technology.
In this context, robust preforming without gaps and creases is crucial to meet the stringent quality and cycle time requirements. Voith developed a new, highly efficient forming simulation method to enable the required segmented stamp forming process, which follows the innovative VRA fibre placement process.
After the preforming, a high-pressure resin transfer moulding (HP-RTM) process is used to inject the matrix through the fibre material. Subsequently, the parts are trimmed by a milling process, a machine washing and fully automated assembly with metallic subcomponents. The transport between the single process steps is done by robotic systems, leading to a new level of production automation of composite components.
At JEC World 2018, the high-volume CFRP production line of the Audi A8 rear wall module has won the JEC Innovation Award 2018. The prestigious prize is awarded every year to honour breakthrough innovations in the field of composites. Audi, together with Voith, DOW Automotive, and Zoltek Corp. applied for this award in the category “Automotive Process”. (GK)
With the new line, Voith will elevate the industrialisation of composites production to a new level, as it continues to grow in the automotive and aerospace markets with the production of carbon composite components.
The patented Voith Roving Applicator (VRA) is the core and one of the main parts of this state-of-the-art production line producing the CFRP rear panel for the new Audi A8. This high-load structural component has a complex carbon fibre structure with local reinforcements and is produced using direct fibre placement technology.
In this context, robust preforming without gaps and creases is crucial to meet the stringent quality and cycle time requirements. Voith developed a new, highly efficient forming simulation method to enable the required segmented stamp forming process, which follows the innovative VRA fibre placement process.
After the preforming, a high-pressure resin transfer moulding (HP-RTM) process is used to inject the matrix through the fibre material. Subsequently, the parts are trimmed by a milling process, a machine washing and fully automated assembly with metallic subcomponents. The transport between the single process steps is done by robotic systems, leading to a new level of production automation of composite components.
At JEC World 2018, the high-volume CFRP production line of the Audi A8 rear wall module has won the JEC Innovation Award 2018. The prestigious prize is awarded every year to honour breakthrough innovations in the field of composites. Audi, together with Voith, DOW Automotive, and Zoltek Corp. applied for this award in the category “Automotive Process”. (GK)