LAND TRANSPORTATION APPLICATIONS
Douglas L. Denton
41.1 INTRODUCTION
The use of polymer composite materials in
land transportation is steadily increasing
because of the cost and performance advan-
tages that composites offer over competing
materials. Today, composites are extensively
used in well-established passenger car, van
and truck applications. New applications
demanding higher structural performance lev-
els are under development. Railroad cars,
mass transit vehicles and a wide range of mil-
itary ground transportation systems offer
expanding opportunities for composite mate-
rials.
Driving forces for the use of polymer com-
posites in ground transportation applications
include low manufacturing investment cost,
cost reduction through parts consolidation,
weight savings, good mechanical properties,
'Class A' surface quality, excellent durability
characteristics, inherent dent and corrosion
resistance, good noise and vibration dampen-
ing, styling flexibility and dimensional
stability. Factors which tend to mitigate
against their use are high materials costs, low
modulus and the reluctance to use materials
perceived to be 'new and unproven'.
Only those materials and processes which
provide required performance at the lowest
cost achieve long-term commercial success in
transportation applications. For high-volume 41.2 ECONOMICS AND MARKET GROWTH
automobile and truck applications, high-speed
Handbook of Composites, Edited by S.T. Peters. Published the development and acceptance of new appli-
in 1998 by Chapman & Hall, London. ISBN 0 412 54020 7
41
processes must be used to manufacture parts
rapidly enough to meet the production rates of
the assembly plants. As a result, injection and
compression molding processes are used
extensively for these applications. Composites
typically used in transportation applications
consist of low-cost grades of thermoplastic or
thermoset polymers reinforced with E-glass
fibers. Often these composites also contain
mineral particulate fillers. Composites con-
taining high-modulus fibers, such as carbon,
and higher-performance resins such as epox-
ies, are used only where the higher cost can be
justified to meet special product requirements.
Metal matrix composites are used very spar-
ingly in ground transportation.
Over the past 50 years, the use of polymer
composites generally has progressed from
low-performance applications towards more
demanding applications requiring excellent
surface appearance, high mechanical proper-
ties, increased temperature stability or
improved durability. With increasing
demands to reduce vehicle weight for
improved fuel economy, and to reduce invest-
ment costs for greater competitiveness,the use
of composites in ground transportation is
expected to increase for many decades to
come.
The steady growth in the use of composites for
land transportation is attributed primarily to
cations. From the late-1960s to the mid-1990s
906 Land transportation applications

composite usage in USA transportation more be equal to or lower than stamped steel parts.
than quadrupled (Fig. 41.1), and since the A primary factor offsetting high materials cost
early 1980s it has expanded at a faster rate is the lower investment needed to make parts
than the total composites market. Land trans- from composites compared to steel. To pro-
portation use of polymer composites duce a composite part generally only one
represents the largest segment (over 30%) of mold and one press is needed whereas most
the total market and reached 430 000 metric steel parts require multiple stamping tools and
tons in 1994 according to the SPI Composites presses to form the part. In addition, compos-
Institute. ites offer the opportunity to integrate several
parts formed in steel into one part. This fur-
ther reduces the number of tools and presses
needed, and eliminates the welding opera-
tions required to join the stampings.
The cost advantage achieved or cost penalty
incurred by composites depends upon the
total volume of an application. As the number
of parts produced becomes very high, the
reduced investment in tools and presses is off-
set by the higher materials cost for the
composite. In the automobile industry the use
of a composite part produced at a volume of
several hundred thousand units per year may
Year not be not cost effective. But production of the
Fig. 41.1 Growth in the shipments of polymer com- same composite part at volumes of tens of
posites for use in land transportation. (Source: SPI thousand units per year may be very competi-
Composites Institute.) tive. The specific cost 'cross-over' point
between composites and steel depends on a
large number of factors and must be deter-
Composites have generally displaced metal mined for each specific application.
alloys such as steel to gain new applications.
In order for a material substitution to be suc-
41.3 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
cessful, composites must provide all of the
APPLICATIONS
functions required by the part at a competitive
cost. Because of strong competitive forces in Polymer composites began to appear on cars
the transportation industry original equip- shortly after World War I1 in small compo-
ment manufacturers (OEMs) seldom pay nents under the hood and inside the
higher cost for a new material to achieve desir- passenger compartment. The first major mile-
able functions beyond the part requirements. stone in exterior parts was the introduction of
Therefore, composites must achieve cost effec- the Corvette in 1953 which sported body pan-
tiveness for long-term use in transportation els made of glass fiber reinforced polyester
applications. (Fig. 41.2). The body panels were produced
On a price per unit weight basis, composite with open mold and preform molding
material costs are generally several times processes up to 1972, when the production
higher than the metals used in automobile and was converted to compression molded sheet
truck applications. However, when the total molding composite (SMC). The invention of
cost of component production and vehicle the SMC process and the development of 'low
assembly is considered, composite parts can profile' polyester resins, which provided
 Historical development of applications 907

Fig. 41.2 Glass fiber reinforced polyester body panels on the 1953 Corvette was the first major application
of compositesin the automotive industry. Other composite applications introduced on the Corvette include
bumper beams, leaf springs, radiator support, seat backs and rear floor pan. (Photo courtesy of General
Motors Corporation.)

improved surface appearance, allowed the Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards led to intense
proliferation of composites into higher vol- development of new composite applications
ume body applications. and a significant upswing in composite usage
SMC grille opening panels (GOP) were in the late 1970s (Fig. 41.1). Composites not
introduced in the late 1960s and rapidly only expanded into additional cosmetic parts,
spread throughout the industry because fiber but began to be seriously considered for use in
glass GOPs saved weight and reduced cost structural components. Intense programs to
through significant parts consolidation. With develop radiator supports, transmission sup-
the introduction of composite panels on auto- ports, leaf springs and wheels were initiated.
mobile assembly lines, the dimensional Efforts to find additional under-the-hood and
consistency of molded parts became well interior applications of composites were also
known. Manufacturers also recognized that intensified.
the SMC panels could not be deformed to Improvements in composite surface quality
adjust for variations in the steel body struc- and productivity lead to the introduction of
ture. Modification of assembly plant the 1984 Fiero, the second high-volume vehicle
procedures to accommodate the unique char- with all exterior body panels made of compos-
acteristics of composite parts continues to be ites. Using innovative body construction,
an issue with new part introduction. exterior panels produced by the SMC and
The need to reduce vehicle weight through RRIM (reinforced reaction injection molding)
materials substitution and downsizing to meet processes were mechanically fastened onto a
government mandated Corporate Average steel spaceframe. A similar design approach
908 Land transportation applications
was used for the construction of General
Motor’s all purpose vehicles (APV).
Introduced in 1989, these minivans used
approximately 120 kg (260 lb) of SMC per
vehicle (Fig. 41.3). With annual production
volumes ranging from 90 000 to 148 000 vehi-
cles per year this represented the largest single
application of composites in the automotive
industry.
The Dodge Viper was the first American
vehicle to have all body panels produced by the
resin transfer molding (RTM) process (Fig.
41.4). The low production volumes for the
Viper (under 5000 per year) made this an ideal
application for composites. The selection of an
RTM process with low cost molds resulted in
greater investment savings than could be
achieved with SMC and RRIM. This milestone
application was introduced in the early stages
of an industry-wide effort to develop the RTM
and SRIM (structural reaction injection mold-
ing) processes for the production of structural
and Class A parts for the transportation market.
Fig. 41.3 GM’s all purpose vehicle (APV) is the automotive industry’s largest application of composites.
Each vehicle uses approximately 120 kg (260 lb) of SMC in addition to other polymer composites. (Photo
courtesy of General Motors Corporation.)
41.4 CURRENT APPLICATIONS
41.4.1 AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
On average, cars produced in USA in 1994
contained about 50 kg (110 lb) of fiber rein-
forced composites. The broad usage of
composites in the automobiles and trucks is
illustrated by the list of applications in Table
41.1. Distinctions can be made between appli-
cations that are experimental, have been in
limited production or are well-established in
production. In many cases, breakthrough com-
posite applications are introduced by
manufacturers of low volume specialty vehi-
cles before they appear in high volume car
lines produced by larger companies such as
Chrysler, Ford or General Motors. These larger
companies often will evaluate a new applica-
tion on a low-volume specialty vehicle or on a
customized segment of a high-volume vehicle
before committing to high-volume production
with a composite part.
 Current applications 909
-
-
-7
--
-
- - I. ~ _ _. - - ~ ~

-----zm

Fig. 41.4 The Dodge Viper is the first American car to have ail Class A composite body panels produced
by the resin transfer molding (RTM)process. (Photocourtesy of Chrysler Corporation.)

Automotive body applications Newly developed composites made from com-

pression molded glass fiber mat thermoplastic
Composites have proven to be very successful sheet (GMT) or liquid molded (RTM/SRIM)
in a wide range of exterior body panels and thermoset resins may also compete with SMC
are used in hundreds of vehicle applications. for horizontal body panels.
Excellent surface finish, light weight, and a The broader use of composites in body pan-
thermal coefficient of expansion near that of els is restricted by their limited cost-
steel have made these applications successful. effectiveness at very high production volumes.
Customers appreciate the dent and corrosion Composite panels are well-suited for niche
resistance of composite panels. vehicles and for providing economical oppor-
SMC dominates composite applications in tunities to achieve styling differences within a
horizontal panels such as hoods, roof and deck body line, but they are seldom employed in
lids, and competes with RRIM for vertical pan- high-volume applications. Another factor that
els such as fenders, doors and quarter panels. precludes the use of some polymer composites
The use of unreinforced thermoplastic body in body panels is sensitivity to high tempera-
panels on vehicles such as G M s Saturn and ture. In most assembly operations all body
Chrysler 's Intrepid, Concorde, and Vision panels are subjected to a heat soak at
demonstrate the potential for the displacement 175-205°C (350400°F) for about 30 min fol-
of composites in some body applications. lowing the electrodeposition of a corrosion
910 Land transportation applications

coating (‘E-Coat’ or ’ELPO) to the steel body and extensive testing, a transverse rear leaf
structure. Only a limited number of low-cost spring was introduced on the 1981 Corvette.
polymer composites can resist dimensional This 3.6 kg (8 lb) filament wound E-glass/epoxy
change or surface distortion during this heat monoleaf spring replaced a ten-leaf steel spring
treatment. weighing 19 kg (421b). A front transverse
While composites are used in the body spring was added to the Corvette in 1984 and
structure for several low-volume sports cars, the first composite longitudinal spring
this opportunity remains essentially untapped appeared on the General Motors Astro van in
in the auto industry. The Lotus Esprit has an 1985. The use of composite springs rapidly
all-composite body produced by the VARI spread across GM car lines in the late 1980sand
process (vacuum assisted resin injection) that early 1990s. In less than a decade from its intro-
is mounted on a steel frame. Lotus uses a sim- duction, the Inland Division of GM (now
ilarly produced composite floor pan and body Delphi Chassis Systems) was manufacturing
panels in the Elan. Consulier manufactures more than one million Liteflex@composite
sports cars with all-composite monocoque springs per year (Fig. 41.5) to meet the demand.
bodies produced by vacuum bag molding of
epoxy prepregs with E-glass, Sglass, carbon
and KevlaP fibers. The entire body structure
weighs only 125 kg (275 lb) and takes all struc-
tural loads. Higher volume applications in
body structure includes the Corvette which
has used composites in the floor pan, rear
underbody and radiator support.
Since the early 1980s an evolving series of
composite materials and processes have been
used to produce front and rear bumper beams.
SMC containingrandom chopped and/or con-
tinuous unidirectional fibers was initially
used. Subsequently, stamped thermoplastic Fig. 41.5 Composite leaf springs reduce vehicle
composites and SRIM bumper beams have weight, resist corrosion and outlast traditional steel
been commercialized.Special design consider- leaf springs. (Photo courtesy of Delphi Chassis
ations and parts consolidationhave lead to the Systems.)
use of glass-reinforced polypropylene
(Azdel@)in the front bumper beams of
Chrysler minivans, which are produced in vol- The exceptional weight savings and outstand-
umes of more than 500 000 units per year. ing durability have been the keystones to the
success of composite springs in cars and more
Automotive chassis applications recently, in heavy trucks. Composite springs
last at least five times longer than steel coun-
While relatively few composite chassis compo- terparts in laboratory fatigue tests and in field
nents have been commercialized, notable service. Added advantages are improved
applications have provided evidence of the packaging due to smaller size, and improved
performance level and durability offered by ride and handling characteristics. Their long-
composites. term field success has also clearly
One of the most successful automotive stmc- demonstrated the survivability of polymer
tural applications to date is the composite composite materials in the harsh under-vehi-
leafspring. After decades of development work cle environment.

Another suspension application demon-
strating the durability and load carrying
capability of composites is wheels. The com-
mercial introduction of polymer composite
wheels was on the 1989 Shelby CSX modified
version of the Dodge Shadow. Developed by
the Motor Wheel Corporation, the Fiberide@
wheel uses a combination of structural SMC
and XMC. These materials provided a mix-
ture of chopped random and oriented
continuous E-glass in a vinyl ester resin. At
reduced weight, the composite wheel out-
performed both steel and aluminum wheels
in fatigue. The development of polymer com-
posites that retained acceptable lug nut
torque after wheel heating caused by extreme
braking conditions was a technical advance
that made this application possible.
A front suspension stabilizer link was
introduced on the 1994 Ford Taurus and
Mercury Sable. Made from a glass fiber rein-
forced copolymer polyacetal, this was the
first use of a structural thermoplastic com-
posites in such an application in North
America. This durable part does not require
painting and reportedly provides a 42%
weight reduction and 33% cost reduction
over the replaced steel part.
Automotive powertrain applications
The application of composites in the power-
train is extensive and is growing. In the past,
only metals were considered for use in the
demanding environment of the engine and
transmission. Increasingly, composites are
being selected to reduce weight and cost, and
to improve NVH (noise, vibration and harsh-
ness), engine efficiency, packaging and
corrosion resistance.
Air intake manifolds are rapidly being con-
verted from metal to injection molded
thermoplastics reinforced with short glass
fibers. Introduced on European cars in the
1970s, composite manifolds are predicted to
be used on most vehicles by the turn of the
century. Most intake manifolds are produced
Current applications 911
by the 'lost-core' process in which a low tem-
perature melting alloy such as tin-bismuth is
used as a form to mold the hollow sections.
The core is then melted away from the cured
part in a subsequent operation. An alternative
is to 'weld' two thermoplastic pieces to form
the manifold. To reduce cost, some fuel
intakes are being integrated with the air
intake manifold.
Injection molded phenolic compounds are
used in many engine and transmission appli-
cations because of dimensional stability and
creep resistance at higher temperatures.
Current applications include pulleys, torque
converter reactors, thrust washers, water out-
lets, valve covers, radiator end caps, motor
commutators and fuel rails (Fig. 41.6).
While the performance advantages of com-
posite drive shafts and propeller shafts (lower
weight, better NVH, increased durability) has
been established, cost remains a barrier to
their wide spread use. A composite drive shaft
has an economic advantage, however, when it
replaces two-piece metal shafts. The most suc-
cessful designs have used glass and/or carbon
fiber composite overwrapped on an alu-
minum tube using pultrusion or filament
winding processes.
Fig. 41.6 Powertrain applications of phenolic com-
posites include transmission torque converter
reactors and thrust washers, poly-V pulleys, and
water outlets. (Photo courtesy of Rogers
Corporation.)
912 Land transportation applications
Experimental engines made almost exclu-
sively of polymer composite materials,
including block, head, pistons and connecting
rods, have been tested, but commercialization
is in the near future. Many
matrix (MMC) parts have been
prototyped for engine applicationsf
few have gone into production
(Table 41.1). Aluminum reinforced with silicon
carbide, alumina or carbon fibers offers the
potential for good mechanical and thermal
properties with large weight savings.
However, factors such as high cost, low ductil-
ity and machining difficulties have retarded
the commercialization MMCs in transports-
tion components.
Automotive interior applications
manufacturers make extensive use
of polymeric materials on the interiors of cars
and trucks/ most do not require fiber rein-
to meet performancerequirements.
Some notable exceptions are seats, load floors,
knee and instrument Pane'
seat
were first introduced on the 1975 Corvette. In
addition to stamped polypropylene, ther-
mosetting Polyurethanes and Polyester are
used inboth seat back and seat pans. An injec-
tion seat with long fiber
reinforcement Premiered On the 1993 Dodge
sheet is cur-
rently preferred for load floors in station
wagons and extended pick-up truck cabs.
Stamped polypropylene has been used in
numerous knee bolsters. This structural part at
the bottom of the instrument panel helps to
control occupant movement during a frontal
crash. Composites and unreinforced thermo-
plastics are also being used in instrument
panel supports to provide lower cost through
parts integration and reduced weight. The use
of composites in the front of vehicle interiors is 41.4.3 RAILROAD APPLICATIONS
expected to expand.
41.4.2 TRUCK APPLICATIONS
Composites are widely used in the medium-
duty and heavy-duty truck industry to
decrease weight, reduce manufacturing and
maintenance costs, and extend the longevity of
the vehicles. Lighter trucks allow increased
payload capability and improved fuel econ-
omy. Since trucks are generally not produced
in high volumes, the lower tooling invesment
favors composite parts. The durability is
important since are used for many
years.
Composites are commercially used for
essentially all skin surfaces on truck cabs, air
deflectors, hoods, fenders, roofs, side closure
panels, sleeper box and doors. Mack Truck
introduced the first structural SMC door in
1978 and two years later GM Truck and Coach
made the first use of continuous fiber SMC in
the door of the Astro and General truck cabs.
In 1983 Mack Truck became the first manufac-
turer to introduce a cab with composites used
in all exterior surfaces. These panels covered a
frame made of steel, aluminum, and
structural composite beams. Several all-com-
posite truck cabs using monocoque structures
have been prototyped and shown to meet all
performance requirements.
Weight savings of 20% are achieved in truck
trailers when floor, wall and ceiling panels are
composite. In addition, refrigerated trailers
made from composites are 25-30y0 more ther-
mally efficient than metal trailers. In a recent
application, Trail King has introduced a flat
bed trailer with a fiber reinforced epoxy deck
to achieve lower weight, corrosion resistance
and lower cost.
One of the fastest growing application in
heavy truck is composite leaf springs for large
weight savings and greatly extended spring
life.
Durability and light weight make composites
attractive for railroad applications, yet few
 Current applications 913

Table 41.1 Composite applications in automobiles and trucks'

Experimental Limited production Well established

Body Front rails Radiator support Grille opening panel
A, B and C pillars Floor pan Grille opening
Roof frame Cowl panel reinforcement
Rockers Wheel housing Rear end panel
Rear underbody Windshield surround Hood
Pickup truck box Door surround Deck lid
Truck cab structure Center tunnel Lift gate
Truck trailer bed Tanker truck trailers Rear hatch
EV battery tray Roof panel
Hardtop cover
Fenders
Quarter panels
Doors outers
Door inners
Spoiler
Headlamp cover
Fuel filler doors
Front bumper beams
Rear bumper beams
Truck air defector
Truck trailer walls
Truck trailer roof
Chassis Front cross member Wheels Leaf spring
Transmission support Stabilizer bar links Disk brake pistons
Brake rotors'
Powertrain Throttle body Drive shaft Air intake manifold
Oil pump
- - Propeller shafts Battery tray
Transmission valve body Water pump housing Fan shroud
Hydraulic clutch actuator Water pump impeller Radiator end caps
Engine - Pistons, block, Fuel pump components Transmission torque
head, piston pins3 Fuel rail converter reactor/stator
connecting rods3 Fuel tank supports Transmission thrust washer
rocker arms2 Camshaft sprockets Motor commutators
bed plate2 Oil pan Diesel electronic unit injector
Flywheel4 Differential cover Valve cover
Drive shaft2 Valve lifter guides Timing chain covers
CNG storage cylinders5 Poly-V pulleys
Cylinder liners2 Idler pulley
Pistons2 Distributor cover
Interior Car jack Knee bolster Seat back
Steering wheel Instrument panel support Seat support
Window frame/trim Load floor
Plenum
Glove box

Polymer composite unless noted otherwise Electric powered vehicles

Metal matrix composites Natural gas vehicles
Metal matrix or polymer matrix composites
914 Land transportation applications
have been commercialized. Pultruded glass
fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite pan-
els are used to construct a 'Secured Modular
Automotive Rail Transport' (SMART) for
Union Pacific Railroad. Each three-tier struc-
ture serves as a 'car rack' to protect eighteen
automobiles from damage and theft during
transport to the dealer. The use of composites
also significantly reduces the maintenance cost
of the car rack.
Composite hopper car covers protect grain
and other dry materials that need protection
from moisture. The covers, which range from
9-15 m (3040 ft) in length, are fabricated by a
hand lay-up process. Two prototype
glass/polyester filament wound railroad cars
termed the 'Glasshopper' have been in service
since 1981 without failure. Produced in a joint
venture by ACF Industries, Cargill and
Southern Pacific, the corrosion resistant, light-
weight composite car can carry a greater
payload, but is significantly more expensive
than a steel hopper car.
41.4.4 MASS TRANSIT APPLICATIONS
Buses and passenger rail systems offer many
more opportunities for the application of com-
posites than are presently in service. Some
cosmetic and semi-structural applications
have been successfully implemented, but few
examples of structural components are found.
The durability of polymer composites has
lead to extensive use in seats for buses, sub-
ways, people movers and trains. Composite
sandwich panels with glass fiber-phenolic
skins over aramid or aluminum honeycomb
are used in walls, ceilings and floors of many
European mass transit cars. These rigid panels
are very lightweight and the use of phenolic
resins allows attainment of fire/emission stan-
dards. The end caps of transit cars are often
molded composites. Pultruded exterior panels
are being substituted for aluminum on buses
to reduce weight and decrease assembly cost.
The development of high speed rail sys-
tems, which attain speeds up to 480km/h
(300 miles per hour), may offer an opportunity
for composites because of the need to mini-
mize weight. Weight reduction is especially
important for magnetic levitation (MAGLEV)
systems where the vehicle is suspended above
the guideway to provide friction free move-
ment.
41.4.5 MILITARY APPLICATIONS
Limited applications of composites are found
in combat and non-combat ground vehicles in
the US military, but if current development
programs are successful, much greater use of
composites should result. Modern warfare
requires rapidly deployable, survivable vehi-
cle systems. Thus, weight reduction in all
vehicles, including armored vehicles, is desir-
able. In addition to weight savings,
composites can potentially offer increased
durability, improved signature management!
better personnel protection and lower produc-
tion cost.
The goal of an ongoing Army project, the
Composite Armored Vehicle Advanced
Technology Demonstrator (CAV ATD), is to
establish the feasibility of using polymer com-
posites in the primary structure of a 20 tonne
(22 ton) combat vehicle to achieve a 33%
weight saving over a traditional metal vehicle.
Composites are also being considered for com-
bat vehicle armor - used either alone or in
conjunction with ceramics and/or metals - to
provide significant weight savings over cur-
rent materials. The High Mobility
Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV),
which is currently in production, utilizes an
integrated hood/fender assembly molded
from SMC. In upgraded versions, composite
armor is attached to the HMMWV.
Phenolic spa11 liners containing Kevlar or
S-2 Glass@fibers are used in the M113A3
Armored Personnel Carrier and Bradley
Fighting Vehicle to provide troop protection.
Longer service life and chemical protection
were the motivation for the incorporation of
composite seats and side racks in 2.2 tonne
 Conclusions 915

(2.5 ton) and 4.4 tonne (5 ton) trucks. Other and technical expertise acquired in defense
potential composite applications such as M1 programs to the development of composite
Abrams Main Battle Tank components (dri- technology needed to improve the competi-
ver’s seat, air intake plenum, stowage box, tiveness of American industries with a
and power pack container), tactical vehicle particular emphasis on the automotive indus-
body, fuel tanker and HMMWV drive shaft try. Numerous federal programs are directing
are under consideration for production after dollars and technical expertise resident in the
the turn of the century. National Laboratories into ground transporta-
tion programs. A notable example is the
41.5 FUTURE DIRECTIONS
’Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles’
program, which teams the government with
The growth of the transportation market is the automotive industry to produce the tech-
expected to continue, and potentially acceler- nology to make safe, comfortable, and
ate, into the 21st century. As composites affordable cars that achieve up to 30 km/l (82
become better understood by designers, and miles per gallon) of gasoline with low emis-
as the reliability and advantages of these mate- sions. Composite materials are expected to
rials are more clearly demonstrated, they will play a key role in meeting this challenging
be used increasingly in more demanding goal. Successful implementation of the tech-
structural applications. Body structure, chassis nologies developed in these cooperative
and powertrain offer tremendous opportuni- programs could have an enormous impact on
ties for the utilization of composite materials. the usage of composites in future vehicles.
Improved manufacturing capability to rapidly
produce composite parts will boost their eco-
41.6 CONCLUSIONS
nomic viability in high volume applications.
The development of a commercial infrastruc- Ground transportation is the largest and one
ture and market for the large scale recycling of the fastest growing segments of the polymer
and reuse of polymeric materials will also composites market. While transportation use
increase the growth opportunity for compos- of composites is expected to expand, the rate
ites. of growth depends on a number of factors.
The potential economic advantages and Improvements in technology are needed to
weight reductions afforded by the use of com- increase high volume production capability
posites in integrated body structure and and increase the cost competitiveness of com-
chassis components has driven development posites relative to other materials. The
programs since the 1980s. In 1988 Chrysler, performance and durability of composites in a
Ford and General Motors formed the wide range of structural applications must be
Automotive Composites Consortium (ACC) to demonstrated. More designers and engineers
conduct joint R&D on structural polymer com- need to become familiar with the unique char-
posites with a focus on these structural acteristics of composites and learn to develop
applications. Operating under the United States designs that use the full potential of these
Council on Automotive Research (USCAR),the materials. An economically viable infrastruc-
ACC works with supplier companies and uni- ture for dealing with post-consumer waste
versities to develop the processing, materials, must be established. With these advances,
design and joining technology needed to composites are expected to play an important
achieve production worthiness and cost effec- role as industry meets the increasing world-
tiveness of composite structures. Currently, the wide demand for safe, clean, energy efficient
US Federal Government is providing resources land transportation.