AP&T developing high-tensile carbon fiber forming in cooperation with research and industry

AP&T is a world-leading supplier of complete production lines for press hardening, and the company also supplies solutions for aluminum hot forming. With focus on development of new materials and production methods that meet the industry’s need for lighter weight, safer and more energy-efficient products with lower environmental impact, AP&T is now going one step further by developing production equipment for composite materials.

Together with the KTH and Chalmers universities, the Swerea Sicomp research institute and leading companies in the aviation and automotive industries such as GKN, SAAB and Volvo, AP&T took part in the Triple Use development project, with funding by VINNOVA, the Swedish innovation agency. The project, which has gathered players from the various parts of the development chain, aims to reinforce development of quick and cost-efficient methods for the production of high-tensile composites.

The project’s final seminar was held in March at AP&T’s research and development center in Ulricehamn, Sweden,where full-scale testing has also been conducted in an industrial setting. Sub-projects within manufacturing of components for airplane engines, passenger cars and bridge construction were also presented.

“The Triple Use project has served as valuable support in taking the step from research to industrial production, and for us at AP&T, working with both researchers from the outside and our end customers has been a great asset,” says Lars-Olof Jönsson, R&D project manager at AP&T.

The composite material is heated up in the tool to between 130 and 170 degrees Celsius, and is then formed and hardened under pressure. By controlling the effect of a large number of heating elements in the tool, formability can be controlled in the various heat zones to give the part the desired qualities.

AP&T’s development work involves producing functioning production systems where the entire chain including materials, management and forming is developed to meet the industry’s need for efficient mass production with high quality and availability.

Getting a return on investment for carbon fiber components has been difficult in the automotive industry. The material is much more expensive than both steel and aluminum, and cycle times are longer. Development of less expensive materials, however, is ongoing. A new composite material based on lignin – a residual product from paper manufacturing – is one example of a material that is expected to help make composite materials more interesting from a commercial perspective in many more applications. Cycle times when producing parts will also be shortened. AP&T’s development pertains to obtaining an efficient flow in all of the steps. Amongst other things, focus is on more efficient automation and processing of blanks to minimize the need for trimming.

“We aren’t quite there yet with all of the different aspects, but we are well on our way. For us it is a matter of being prepared and able to offer cost-efficient solutions that help our customers achieve sustainable profitability. We believe that in the future, the industry will use additional materials and production methods for different types of components, and carbon fibre is of interest in that mix,” says Lars-Olof Jönsson.

During the Triple Use seminar, lectures, presentations and discussions were mixed with full-scale tests in AP&T’s test line in Ulricehamn, Sweden.