Carbon ThreeSixty, a leading innovator in composite design and manufacturing, has successfully developed a cutting-edge aero cover utilising Tailor Fibre Placement (TFP) technology. This revolutionary approach has resulted in a significantly lighter and stiffer component compared to currently available prepreg designs.
A new era of composite design: TFP offers unparalleled precision in fiber placement, allowing for the optimisation of material distribution and orientation within a component. By precisely placing fibers in specific orientations and locations, optimal mechanical properties can be achieved without the addition of unnecessary mass.
The challenge of traditional material systems such as prepreg: Structures predominately made of pre-preg materials often require multiple layers of material to achieve the desired strength and stiffness. This can lead to increased mass, longer production times and increased costs. The positioning of small sections of plies in specific areas of the mould requires intricate ply cutting along with highly skilled laminaters. Even then, mistakes can happen and plies end up in the wrong position or orientation. The fully automated nature of TFP ensures that the reinforcement material is accurately and repeatedly positioned with the ability to optimise designs down to individual fibre tows.
TFP solution: A lightweight, high-performance design Carbon ThreeSixty’s TFP-optimised aero cover addresses these limitations by:
Reducing Ply Count: The TFP design eliminated three plies from the baseline prepreg design, resulting in a lighter component.
Enhancing Stiffness: Despite the reduced ply count, the TFP-reinforced cover exhibited a 223% increase in stiffness.
Improved Manufacturing Efficiency: TFP’s automated fiber placement process streamlines production and reduces labor cost
A bright future for TFP This successful project demonstrates the immense potential of TFP in the realm of composite manufacturing. By pushing the boundaries of design and engineering, Carbon ThreeSixty is paving the way for a new era of lightweight, high-performance components.
Benefits of “Aero-Covers” Carbon ThreeSixty has worked on a number of “aero-disc” or “aero-cover” projects. With an increased focus on vehicle range and overall efficiency, wheels are an area of the vehicle that can offer vast improvements. At speeds of over 50mph the wheels can be responsible for as much as 20% of overall vehicle drag. Aero-covers significantly improve the airflow around the wheel and thus reduce associated drag. With the increased use of regenerative braking there is also less of a requirement for airflow through the wheel – to dissipate heat energy – and therefore the centre of the wheel can be more “closed” and aerodynamic.
Download the Aero-cover Evolution document:
If you are interested in how TFP could further optimise a lightweight structure, or if you have a requirement for a lightweight, low drag wheel, please do not hesitate to contact with the team.
