CENEX LCV 11

The Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project (LCVTP)

Vehicle Lightweighting: Materials, Processes and Life Cycle Assessment

7th-8th September 2011

Speaker: Geraint Williams

Workstream Partners: Ricardo, WMG, MIRA, Coventry University, Tata Motors, Jaguar Land Rover

Content
- Introduction and background - Key tasks - Materials evaluation - Component validation - Life Cycle Assessment - Summary and next steps

Work Stream 7

Objective: To develop materials and process technologies that will facilitate the introduction of lightweight solutions into future electric / hybrid vehicle programmes without compromising the overall life cycle impact.

WS 7 - Key Tasks and Deliverables

BIW Material Technologies Determine suitability of candidate materials and process combinations to minimise the weight of structural automotive applications. Provide robust design and process guidelines for the best assembly and joining methods for a given set of material / joint interfaces . Lightweight seat construction Identify and evaluate materials and process options for lightweight seat structure concepts. Lightweight EV architecture Understand the complexities and develop a scalable architecture model that can be applied to EV, REEV and Series Hybrid vehicles. Lightweight glazing Identify a lightweight glazing solution for each vehicle application that optimises the optical, acoustic and thermal transmission performance. Life Cycle Analysis Ensure that materials and process technologies identified are evaluated for their environmental performance to minimise any adverse impact. Deliverables Reports on current and emerging technologies Generic part and design data Validated concepts Design and application proposals Design and process guidelines Roadmap to future opportunities LCA indicator

Challenges and considerations

Product application - Availability of CAE information

- Structural performance - Durability

Manufacturing implications - Formability and joining

- Volume manufacture - Introduction into existing facilities

Environmental impact - Impact of alternative material on Life Cycle CO2

- Volatile Organic Compounds - LCA shifts and strategies

New Car CO2 Report 2011 - SMMT

Growth in total car CO2 emissions, parc and distance travelled (Source DECC/SMMT/DfT)

Between 2000 2009 total CO2 emissions from cars fell by 7.8% despite increase in parc and distance travelled. CO2 emissions from cars represent 13.6% of total emissions and 62.5% of the total road transport Average new car CO2 emissions fell by 3.5% to 144.2g/km in 2010 The EU has adopted a target of 130 gm/km to be phased in between 2012 2015 with non compliance penalties
UK average new car CO2 emissions, Source SMMT

UK CO2 emissions, by source (Source DECC)

Approach
Stage 1: State-of-the-art tech review Stage 2: Evaluation of emerging > Prove concept-readiness (CR) > Stable at E-coat (200C+) > Structural performance (up to 100C) > Flex, Crush & Impact > Volume manufacture (50,000+ ppa) > Initial CAE capability. Stage 3: Review of blue-sky
opportunities technologies

7.3 Joining methods

7.2 Structural Battery box Core materials evaluation 7.4 Body structure 7.5 Seat

7.6 Vehicle architecture

Materials testing approach - coupons

Static testing (data for CAE input) IR & Acoustic Emission Heat = damage event(s) Cooling= Elastic tensile deformation

> >

Tensile tests (ISO 527), room/-40/+100C Shear tests (+/-45 tension & Iosipescu)

Fatigue testing

> >

IR thermography & acoustic emission Gives rapid fatigue limit determination

Dynamic mechanical thermal analyses (DMTA)

> > >

Stiffness v temperature Material processing window Environmental applicability

Specific material properties comparison

Top hat demonstrator study

Purpose > Provide a route to practically evaluate selected emergent
materials/process technology against current structural automotive benchmarks

Targets > Performance in line/superior to existing benchmarks > Medium-high automotive production volumes > Significant weight reduction (e.g. 20%) > Reduced environmental impact across lifecycle

Top hat demonstrator study

Materials technology

Process development

Environmental impact

Test/correlate

Materials technology

Candidates (emergent technology):

>

Polyamide-glass fibre composite

Benchmarks (existing technology):

> > >

DP600 steel 5754 aluminium Boron HSS

Approach:

> > >

Coupon-level characterisation Manufacture and test of optimised generic demonstrator components Including development and correlation with performance simulations

Coupon level testing

Static testing

>

Candidate composite material

> >

PA6-GF60 laminate

Obtain engineering data Develop FEA input data

Coupon correlation 900 UD test

LS-DYNA, MAT058 card

Process development rapid hot stamping

Material heated to target temperature

Process developed for top-hat demonstrator geometry and seat back part

(230 C, continuous heating process)

> >

Tool design analogous to sheet metal forming process Med-high volume approach

Transferred to heated mould tool (hand or shuttle, 10s, 100 C)

Can use existing sheet metal stamping infra-structure Minimised cycle times (<90s) Achieve 50k+ PPA on a single line Part cools to de-mould temperature (60s, ~120 C) Mould tool closes and stamp-forms part (<10s)

Demonstrator beam testing

Static flexure testing Variants tested so far:

> > >

All composite, adhesively joined Hybrid composite/aluminium All aluminium

Composite versus aluminium 5754

> > >

Evaluate relative performance Provide indication of failure mode(s) Obtain benchmark data for FEA correlation

Composite vs. aluminium beam flex testing (1) closure plate down
14,000 12,000 10,000
Load (N)

500 450 400 350

Energy (J)

8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 0 Test 1 - Composite Test 10 - 5754 10 20 30 40 Crosshead displacement (mm) 50

300 250 200 150 100 50 0

Failure modes: Composite: section crush, cracking under centre loading point 5754: progressive section crush No joint failure for either

Composite vs. aluminium beam flex testing (2) closure up

16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000
Load (N)

900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 Test 9 - composite hybrid Test 11 - 5754 0 20 40 60 Crosshead displacement (mm) 80 100 0 Failure modes: Composite: section crush, cracking under centre loading point, joint failure 5754: progressive section crush no joint failure
Energy (J)

6,000 4,000 2,000 0

Demonstrator beam FEA correlation

LS-DYNA, using developed MAT058 card, static flex

>

Indicates that modifications are required to model in key areas

WS7.2/7.4 Summary

Highlights:

> > > > >

Static coupon testing nearing completion Correlated FEA models developed Metallic benchmark top-hats produced, candidate composite parts now in production Static flexure testing underway FEA modelling showing correlation Initial LCA models complete, indicating positive impact of candidates

Next steps:

> > >

Dynamic coupon testing (fatigue, varying strain rate) Complete manufacture/assembly of demonstrators, including HSS Commence dynamic flexure/crush testing fatigue/impact

7.3 Joining technology

Principal aim

Evaluate the state-of-the-art for joining processes Investigate appropriate (production-relevant) joining methods for the candidate materials selected in WS7 Provide timely input for demonstrator (top-hat/seat) testing

Current status Identified combination of adhesive and SPR as a joining route for aligned glass reinforced composites Adhesive provides high failure load, mechanical fixture increases stability and improves energy absorption SPR should allow cure of adhesive via the paint-line

7.3 Joining technology current status

Current status (continued)

Alpha Adhesives signed as associate (adhesive supply and advice) Initial tests performed to establish appropriate adhesive

Lap-shear coupon testing (JLR standard geometry) + ageing DSC cure kinetics DMTA adhesive strength development and thermal resistance CT joint integrity

The choice of technologies....

Cure possible via paint line?

Key question can adhesive be optimised to cure fully without modification
to existing practices?
Thermal simulation of paint line profile (thermocouple)

Initial S10 adhesive cure (but only just) Alpha re-formulated adhesive for LCVTP (S272) Lower temp cure OK (reduced shelf-life)

Raw CT images - SPR joint

Reconstructed data slice

Fibres into plane Fibres horizontal

Fibre layup: 90,0,0,90,90,90,0,0,90

7.3 Work in progress

Production of full set of demonstrator parts (top-hat and seats) Further optimisation of SPR for composite composite joints

softer steel rivet aluminium rivet option?

Advanced testing of lap-shear joints fatigue, temperature, ageing, water ingress Production test at paint facility using top-hat part

WS7.5 Summary

Highlights:

> > > >

Optimised design formulation using advanced FEA approach Moulding trials nearing completion, test quality parts available Part trimming and part inspection trials carried out/underway, results to follow Outline LCA comparison completed of steel versus composite solution

Next steps:

> > >

Full seat back test programme (commencing early Sept) Continuation of part quality assessments using CAT scanning and photogrammetric measurement Correlation of FEA models with physical test results

WS7.5 Lightweight seating

A = Fiesta B = CF

Develop, manufacture and test an alternative lightweight seat back structure

> > >

Candidate material is PA6-GF60, as for demonstrator beam Selected candidate process is a modified press-forming approach Final design includes first stage optimisation steps
C = PAGF60 D = Clamshell

E = PAGF + steel

WS7.5 Lightweight seating design

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 0 deg

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 90deg 67.5 -67.5

Optimised 18 layer stacking sequence

WS7.5 - TPC seat manufacturing

Tooling:

> > >

Centre sprung to pin material in place during moulding Oil heating up to 200C Part weight 2.5kg when trimmed.

Water-jet or laser trimmed Moulding cycle for thermoplastic composite

> >

15 to 20s transfer and tool closing 60s cooling in tool.

LCA - Tools & Databases

Category Proprietary LCA software Carbon tools Water tools Design tools Automotive tools Other tools Databases

Tool/Database GaBi, Simapro, TEAM (examples) Footprint ExpertTM Product water footprint tools, Water Footprint Network SolidWorks, Sustainable Minds, IDC, Granta Design, WorldAutoSteel LCA Model JLR Rapid LCA, Daimler Group, Ford, Volkswagen, Volvo, Mazda, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan EcoReport (for Energy Using Products), Envest (buildings) Proprietary LCA Databases, ELCD/ILCD (European Commission), Industry Association Databases (various), EcoSpold Data Format, Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE) Database

Design Tools & Databases Customer expectations

Highlights pitfalls

Clear message

Easy reporting

database Standard data

Comparisons

Other issues

Signposting

Transparent

Aids targets

collect Data quality

Flags/alerts

Supporting

Web based

Numerical

LCA LCA tools eg. GaBi Carbon Footprint ExpertTM Design SolidWorks

Cost

No water footprint

Cost, Uses GaBi

Sustainable Minds IDC Granta WorldAuto Steel Auto Other EcoReport (EuP) Envest (build) Rapid LCA

Cost

OVERALL

Graphics

Training

Modular

Intuitive

Simple

Component LCA Goal & Scope

To evaluate the effect of material and process selection on the cradle-to-end-of-life impact of a typical automotive body-in-white structural element

Raw material acquisition

Process

>

Impact to be measured in material flows and global warming potential (100-year kg CO2 equivalent)
Transport

Scope includes whole life cycle except waste management (disposal/re-use/recycle) Ignoring common processes e.g. supply chain transport

Manufacture

Use

Waste management

Beam - material variants

DP600 steel material, 1.6mm gauge press-forming

> > >

1.89kg

5754 aluminium, 2.5mm gauge press-forming 1.02kg

PA6,6-GF60 laminate material, 3mm hot stamp-forming 0.76kg

PA6,6-GF60 laminate + PA6-GF50 flow formed, 3mm stampforming, integral flow-formed ribs

>

0.91kg

Assumptions

At the proposed weights, all assembled variants have equivalent structural/crash performance

6.85 6.80
Fuel efficiency (l/100km)

100kg vehicle mass reduction = 2% increase in fuel efficiency Total vehicle life = 200,000km Vehicle profile:

6.75 6.70 6.65 6.60 6.55 1200

> >

1400kg, 6.7l/100km 1.4L Euro 4 GABI model

1300 1400 1500 Vehicle mass (kg)

1600

Manufacturing plan - aluminium

Mass flows - emissions

Alu 5754 Steel DP600 PA6-GF50 Laminate PA-GF Hybrid 1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.0001

NB log scale
Mass flow (kg)

Alu 5754

Steel DP600

PA6-GF50 Laminate

PA-GF Hybrid

GWP Manufacturing and usage

35

Usage
30

Production
25

100 year GWP (kg CO2 equivalent)

20

15

10

Alu 5754

Steel DP600

PA6-GF50 Laminate

PA-GF Hybrid

Summary

Current status > Reports completed on current and emerging technologies for joining, vehicle architecture optimisation, body materials and processes and LCA tasks. > Glazing study complete and report issued > Installation and commissioning of composites manufacturing facilities and test equipment complete; stable process established for beam structures and seat backs; testing commenced. > Recommendations generated for rapid LCA tool optimisation, top down assessment of Ricardo GTV completed. Upcoming tasks > Continue with composite component manufacture and test programme. > Complete the re-configuration of hot forming press and commission oven. > Refine designs and generate process guidelines based on test outcomes and analyses. > Validate LCA tool recommendations and finalise training module