Manufacturing Processes for Automotive Composites

Abstract

Manufacturing is an issue for composites in the automotive sector when one considers the high production
volumes required. Compression moulding using sheet moulding compound (SMC) or glass mat thermoplastic (GMT) are the
two most common composite production processes Long fiber thermoplastics (LFT) have enjoyed a long run of double digit
growth and have general acceptance as structural material. Consequently, their introduction has led to an increased
penetration of the automotive market for structural thermoplastic composites. Both pellet application (primarily involving
complex parts made via injection molding) and direct in-line applications (primarily involving simpler, largely flat parts
made vial compression or injection molding) have shared in the growth. The study reviews manufacturing processes for the
manufacture of both thermost and thermoplastic automotive composites. Various innovative approaches in formulation and
processing of SMC and LFT are also accounted.