Concept and objectives
The strategic objective of FORTAPE is to research and develop an efficient and optimized integrated system for the manufacturing of complex parts based on unidirectional fibre tapes for its application in the automotive and aeronautical industry, with the minimum use of material and energy.
The technical objectives to accomplish this are the following ones:
Challenge 1
Development of an efficient process for carbon fibre and glass fibre unidirectional tapes manufacturing with reduced material usage and defective production and increased mechanical performance. Three different options will be researched to develop the innovative process to manufacture UD carbon and glass fibre tapes with increased fibre content compared to the melt impregnation and with a cost reduction due to the suppression of the slitting of tapes.
Challenge 2
Development of an innovative overmoulding technology to manufacture complex composite parts locally reinforced with single and bi-layer UD tapes, using a combination of process-machine approach, through injection-compression moulding (ICM) strategies, automated tape laying adapted to automotive cycle times, automated part manipulation and online process control to reduce deformations on final moulded parts due to the anisotropic nature of UD tapes.
Challenge 3
Development of a novel in-situ consolidation technology to manufacture complex composite parts without the need of autoclave for secondary structure and interior cabin applications complying with fireproof regulations, using a combination of material-machine approach, through the development of a new high temperature polyamide for secondary structure and a new polyamide with fire-resistance properties for interior cabin applications.
Challenge 4
Development of novel modelling concepts to assess the geometry design of complex parts and to select the best strategy for the part manufacturing.
The impact objectives are linked to the technical objectives and they are the following ones:
- 1. Resource efficiency during composite complex parts manufacturing, applied to the whole value chain and compared to current average values.
- 2. Elimination of at least 85% in faulty manufactured parts for automotive applications and within the aeronautics sector it is expected to keep performances in this sense (current average of 7% of faulty manufactured parts production rate).
| Description | European Commission Target | Fortape Target (Automotive) | Fortape Target (Aeronautics) |
| Reduction of material usage (%) | 30% | 40% | 75% |
| Reduction of material usage (%) | 20% | 35% | 45% |
| Reduction of material usage (%) | – | Elimination of at least 85% | To keep performances (average value 7%) |
There are no publications to display.