When thinking to composites as a replacement material for traditional ones', transportation, more specially the automotive industry is the domain where the biggest success is forecasted. If high performances composites, such as carbon reinforced products, are now unavoidable in the aeronautic industry, what about fibres reinforced composites in cars? Renault, a pioneer in the use of composite materials, describes here their achievements and future. Composites are used basically because of their known characteristics. Nevertheless, he handicaps are an often higher price per kilo, a lower-performing intrinsic mechanical characteristics, often slow processes for finished parts, etc. the material has an excellent resistance against corrosion. Composite materials made their first appearance in the major car model lines during the 1960's and 1970's for applications in the vehicle interiors. Their progress from the first sectors acquired (car interiors, dashboard and external accessories) to the development stages now in course (structural parts), allow one to identify their different usage areas and the material types used. Even though the composite materials offer numerous advantages, a number of non-negligible risks remain and put a brake on any much wider usage in cars. Technical profit difficulties comprise the acquisition of reliable physical data and usable simulation models, the knowledge of the behavioural laws for such materials, the modelisation of crash situations, the forecast of durability, etc. Nevertheless, usage of composite materials in the car sector has now won many indisputable positions in several applications areas, where any possible return to metallic materials now seams little likely. These application areas are interior trim and fittings, external accessories, certain sub-chassis and sub-engine mechanical functions etc. In future, the designers should have to pay attention not to copy the 'metallic' concepts, but to mange the functions integrations in a clever manner. (Bilingual document: French/English)
Composites: de la realite au reve
Verbundstoffe - von der Realität zum Traum
Composites from reality to dream
TUT Textiles a Usages Techniques ; 33 ; 48-52
1999
4 Seiten, 1 Bild, 2 Tabellen
Article (Journal)
French
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