In a comprehensive joint study, Henkel and RLE International have examined and validated the potential of high-performance structural foam for lightweighting in automotive body and closure parts.
The study has revealed that fibre reinforced polymer components with structural foam ribbing and reinforcements can save more than 40 kg of weight per car compared to conventional all-metal designs.
David Caro, Head of Global Engineering, OEM Design, Automotive & Transportation at Henkel, said: “In a radical new approach, we investigated the possibilities of overcoming these constraints by replacing traditional all-metal designs with hybrid fibre and structural foam reinforced polymer solutions.”
“The results of our study have confirmed that we can achieve significant further weight reductions without compromising the safety in typical crash scenarios by optimised the stiffness of fibre reinforced plastic frames or carriers with selective foam ribbing and reinforcements, with competitive costs.”
The hybrid parts feature a solid frame or carrier moulded in higher per cent FRP and selective reinforcements using Henkel’s Teroson EP structural foam, a commercially available epoxy based material that delivers high strength and stiffness at extremely low weight.