Development of a High-Volume Automotive CFRP Structural Component

The overall objective of "Cider" is to develop sustainable, recyclable and recycled composite materials for the transport sector. This will be achieved through the development of three demonstrators over several life cycles of the fibre and polymer material.

The production of new carbon fibres is based on fossil raw materials and is very energy-intensive, making the recycling of the fibres all the more important. In the "Infinity" project, the fibre-friendly recycling process is demonstrated by means of a thermoplastic, structural component from the aviation sector, which can also be used to demonstrate material substitution.

Process digitization in the IoT context is revolutionizing traditional processes through the integration of intelligent technologies. In the DIGIMAP project, a comprehensive IoT infrastructure is being set up that is adapted to the automated fiber placement (AFP) process. This enables precise analysis and optimization of the process steps and quality. The data collected and stored in the cloud will be used to create a product twin.

The PET-Rezya project addresses the overarching goal of transforming today's economy into a bioeconomic circular economy. Together with the project partners, a recycling process based on the enzymatic decomposition of plastics is to be developed and implemented. Specifically, the process is being researched on the recycling of carbon fiber-reinforced PET for use in means of transport such as aircraft.

The recycling of waste materials containing carbon fibers has now developed into a far-reaching task on the path towards a sustainable circular economy. In the CaRMA project, recycled carbon fibers were mixed with additional structural or functional fiber components (e.g. glass, natural, aramid fibers) in order to significantly expand the performance spectrum of the new material.

Glass and carbon fibers are successfully used as reinforcement for plastic components. The innovative DRIFT technology allows the fibers to be embedded without the need for a separate carrier. This results in advantages such as short cycle times, high flexibility, efficient use of raw materials and gentle recycling.

Lightweight construction is crucial in the changing mobility and energy sectors, offering cost-effective and efficient solutions. The FI:IL research project focuses on sensor-integrated CFRP development for spatially resolved load condition determination. By coupling strain and temperature measurement with innovative communication through an integrated BUS system, the project aims to economically integrate features found in high-priced sensor systems. This, combined with resource-saving production processes like pultrusion, has the potential for low-cost components with functional integration in wind turbines, structural stiffeners, and mobility solutions.

Supportive exoskeletons have shown their suitability in many application areas in recent years and have thus steadily gained in importance. However, most systems are only very limited adaptive and the support is only roughly based on the needs of the demand groups. The goal of the research project "Sentinel" is an improved understanding of human-machine interaction by integrating sensor technology in active-assistive exoskeletons.

In the COBAIN project, Fraunhofer IGCV is developing solutions for the automated development and evaluation of construction methods and manufacturing concepts in the overall context of the next generation of a compact helicopter structure made of CFRP. Model-based methods are an integral part of future-proof engineering processes.

The aim of the Saturn project (showcase for end-to-end digitalised pultrusion) is to develop digital solutions for production technology for the manufacture of fibre-reinforced plastic components. In particular, the focus is on process digitisation, production data management and intelligent fibre guidance using artificial intelligence (AI).