Abstract
Recently, with the increase in awareness about a clean environment worldwide, fuel efficiency standards are being strengthened in accordance with exhaust gas regulations. In the automotive industry, various studies are ongoing on vehicle body weight reduction to improve fuel efficiency. This study aims to reduce vehicle weight by replacing the existing steel reinforcements in an automobile center pillar with a composite reinforcement. Composite materials are suitable for weight reduction because of their higher specific strength and stiffness compared to existing steel materials; however, one of the disadvantages is their high material cost. Therefore, a hybrid molding method that simultaneously performs compression and injection was proposed to reduce both process time and production cost. To replace existing steel reinforcements with composite materials, various reinforcement shapes were designed using a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic patch and glass fiber-reinforced plastic ribs. Structural analyses confirmed that, using these composite reinforcements, the same or a higher specific stiffness was achieved compared to the that of an existing center pillar using steel reinforcements. The composite reinforcements resulted in a 67.37% weight reduction compared to the steel reinforcements. In addition, a hybrid mold was designed and manufactured to implement the hybrid process.
Highlights
With the increase in awareness about a clean environment worldwide, fuel efficiency standards are being strengthened in accordance with exhaust gas regulations
Fiber-reinforced plastics have been used extensively in the aerospace industry, where weight leads to direct cost, and according to the trend of vehicle weight reduction, the application of these cases is expanding to automobiles
Design of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) Reinforcement In this stu2d.3y., DstersuigctnuorfaCl aFnRaTlPysRiseiwnfaosrcpemerefnotrmed and genetic algorithms (GAs) were used to determine tIhneththisicsktnuedsys, astnrducltauyr-aulpaannaglylesisofwthase pCeFrRfoTrPmpedarat nddesgigenetdictoalrgeoprliathcems (GAs) were a SABC1470 stueesledpatrotd(setteeerlmgirnaedtehfeotrhhicoktnsetassmapnidngla).yF-uigpuareng5laesohfotwhes CthFeRFTEP mpaordt edleusisgended to replace a for the structuSraAlBaCn1a4ly7s0iss,teaenldpathrte(msteeeclhgarnaidcaelfporrohpoetrsttiaems opfinthge). tFwigilulrwe e5aavsehoCwFRs TthPe pFrEe-model used for preg were takethnefsrtormuctRuerfaelreanncaely[s1i8s,].aTnhdethCeFmRTecPhpanarictawl pasrompeordtieelsedofatshea tswheillllweleeamveenCtFRTP prepreg whose materiawl perroeptaekrteiensfwroemreRaesfseurmenecdet[o18b]e. oTrhtheoCtrFoRpTicP. pFiagrut rwea5sbmshoodwelsetdhaesreassuhlteslloeflement whose the structural amnaaltyersiiaslfoprrovpareirotuiesstwhiecrkeneasssseusm
Summary
With the increase in awareness about a clean environment worldwide, fuel efficiency standards are being strengthened in accordance with exhaust gas regulations. In view of this trend, the automotive industry is conducting various studies to improve fuel efficiency. There are various approaches for improving fuel efficiency, such as increasing engine efficiency and improving gear shifting technology; the most effective method is to reduce vehicle body weight. To this end, in one method, previously used steel material is substituted by a lighter material. Typical fiber-reinforced plastics include carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) and glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRPs), of which the latter are relatively less expensive
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