EPRSC Innovation Fellowship

Dr Connie Qian’s innovation fellowship aims to develop sophisticated process simulation models for compression moulding of prepreg and SMC, and ultimately deliver a model for the hybrid moulding process. These will be achieved using a range of novel material characterisation methods developed as a part of this research, in order to understand the material behaviour of prepreg and SMC, and to provide material input data for process simulation. The models will be validated using a real-life demonstrator geometry to ensure they can be adopted as day-to-day process design tools.

This research addresses a grand challenge in the automotive composites sector by enhancing the robustness of existing processes via understanding of process science to deliver and accelerate growth. It will also benefit a broader range of communities, for instance it will help the software developers to improve the capabilities of their products; it will guide the material manufacturer to tailor their products to suit the manufacturing process; and it will also encourage knowledge exchange with other catapult centres and other universities.

Tucana

APC-funded project TUCANALink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, led by Jaguar Land Rover brings together a consortium of world-leading academic and industry partners with the aim of delivering stiffer and lighter vehicle structures, to boost the performance of electrified vehicles. Together, WMG, JLR, Expert Tooling & Automation, Broetje-Automation UK, Toray International UK, CCP Gransden and The Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS) are replacing aluminium and steel with the strategic use of composites to refine vehicle crash safety structures. By using the right material in the right place, these composite structures will be designed to handle the increased torque generated by high-performance batteries, targeting a 30% increase in vehicle stiffness, while also reducing vehicle mass by 35kg thereby improving efficiency and reducing the CO₂ impact.

WMG’s role in this research project was to manufacture various carbon fibre components in our Materials Engineering Centre (MEC). Our expertise in composite manufacturing, material characterisation and simulation will play a vital part in addressing the design for manufacture (DFM) challenges.

CADFEC

The CADFECLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window project (Continuous and Discontinuous Fibre Engineered Composites) sees Aston Martin, Expert T&A and WMG partner with a US consortium comprised of DowAksa, IACMI and Purdue University to explore mixed fibre architecture composites and the opportunities they provide for financially favourable lightweighting of vehicle body structures to improve environmental performance and efficiency. The 18-month project, enabled by the Fund for International CollaborationLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window will use the recently developed DowAksa Vorafuse materials to address critical R&D gaps that still exist in material management of preforms used in a 2-stage process (preform then mould), plus issues in achieving higher volume fractions required when using open-tooled Double Diaphragm Forming (DDF) process.

The project will focus on compression moulding of DowAksa’s EMC (Engineered Moulding Compound) with selective prepreg usage, alongside automation of the associated processes to ensure the technology is cost-effective and applicable for automotive volumes. A demonstrator component will be produced using the facilities in WMG’s Materials Engineering Centre to showcase material and process capabilities.

Follow this link to read more: CADFECLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window