Light weight design including the development of processes and components

New material developments require constructions in which their outstanding properties are used as effectively as possible. The mere replacement of existing materials is not expedient here. To achieve a high degree of lightweight construction, constructions must be designed in such a way that the lightweight construction materials used can specifically exploit their potential.

For this purpose, we select the suitable construction principles, taking into account the feasibility of production technology. We use our extensive measurement technology to determine the parameters required for simulations and create the corresponding material cards. Using FE design, we implement, among other things Load path-oriented and topology-optimized products. In addition, we carry out numerical process simulations for casting processes. Our technical center allows results to be transferred from laboratory scale to prototype structures and to be tested. We secure our simulations by comparing the test results.

• Lightweight construction
• Creating material cards
• Design of FRP / hybrid components using FE simulation
• Topology optimization, load path-appropriate design
• Numerical process simulations for casting processes
• Testing and validation of the results

Semi-finished products form the basis of almost all manufacturing processes. They can be handled, standardised and manufactured in industrial dimensions and can be tailored to their respective applications. The Fraunhofer Project Center Wolfsburg, in cooperation with its partners from research and industry, therefore addresses the development of novel as well as the optimisation of existing semi-finished product solutions.

Along the textile value-added chain, we offer hybrid, resourceefficient and sustainable developments based on non crimp fabrics, woven fabrics and long-fiber-based semi-finished products. Our portfolio includes glass, carbon, polymer and natural fibers. By impregnating them with a wide variety of matrix materials, we can produce a tailor-made composite material that can be integrated into any production process. With veneers and textile decorative materials we can additionally refine product surfaces.

• Load adapted non crimp fabrics
• Hybrid jacquard woven fabrics
• Long fibre reinforced semi-finished products by fiber spraying
• Thermoplastic and thermoset composite materials
• Polymer, wood and metal foams
• Surface finishing textiles and natural materials

The surface state and functional properties of technical materials are essential for their processing and the quality of the resulting products. The experts at the Fraunhofer Project Center Wolfsburg, with in-depth knowledge and long-standing expertise in surface technology, researches and develops customized industrial-suited pretreatment processes for various material surfaces in lightweight construction applications.

Depending on the application and specific requirements on the resulting product, different techniques can be used for a cost-efficient, need-based and environmentally friendly surface cleaning, activation or deposition of functional coatings. Thus, inline-capable atmospheric pressure plasma-, laser- or VUV-based surface processing can be integrated directly into production lines or machines. In addition, suitable process monitoring concepts can be developed at the Fraunhofer Project Center Wolfsburg for reliable quality assurance.

Customized surface modification by means of:

• Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Technology
• Laser Technology
• VUV-Excimer Technology
• Functional Plasma Coatings

With the increasing use of self-controlled machinery and autonomous vehicles the network of connected industrial plants on one hand and vehicles on the other hand grows exponentially. With this trend the need of real time condition monitoring and environment supervision rises which will be met with integrated sensor systems.

In numerous applications conventional sensors might not fit due to minimal assembly space. Thin film sensors offer an interesting alternative for the integration of sensory functions regarding force pressure, elongation or temperature into existing tools or components, especially in the main load-carrying area. According sensor systems will be conceptualized, designed and applied in a prototyping quantity for instance on customer parts. Smart tools allow spatially resolved measurements of mechanical or temperature loads for optimized process control. At the Fraunhofer Project Center Wolfsburg the sensor development and the testing phase and transfer into industrial production is being offered.

• Multi sensor systems - universal and individual
• Piezoresistive thin film sensors for forcemesurements
• Thin film sensors for precise temperaturedetection
• Application-specific sensor systems

In mass production, lightweight components in multi-material design have so far not played a significant role. When combining fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) with metals, several process stages are usually necessary in production - due to the heterogeneous materials. Several tools and systems are used for these processes.

The One-Tool-Technology reduces the number of process stages. Only one tool is required to manufacture a hybrid component. Upstream processes are no longer necessary, which means that manufacturing costs can be reduced. This makes the use of hybrid components in large-scale production more attractive. Depending on the materials used, functions and properties can be integrated into the process in the same way. For example with a combination of metal deep drawing and plastic injection moulding, it is possible that the melt partially deforms the metal and creates an undercut. This further increases the stiffness of the component.

• Deep drawing and injection moulding in one tool
• Joining of different materials
• Function integration
• Forming undercuts

Future-oriented material compound systems are increasingly coming into play in lightweight construction. Conventional metals retain hereby a very high importance in large series lightweight construction, and the motivation to find stress-resistant materials remains unchanged. Thus, with their individual properties, various metals can make a significant contribution to both lightweight construction and function integration.

Components are usually fashioned from a single material due to the need for additional joining operations and to reduce the complexity. However, this means that the lightweight construction potential of the component often cannot be fully exploited. Conventional metal-to-metal joining concepts require a subsequent joining process through welding, gluing or mechanical joining. Due to such joints, the metal-to-metal compound casting concepts presented in the following are possible for various applications as they are directly integrated during the casting process of an aluminum component. This allows highly integrated and complex multi-material components to be realized with a reduction in the process steps.

• Metal-to-Metal compound casting for innovative cast components