Development of carbon/epoxy structural components for a high performance vehicle

Development of the carbon/epoxy body panels and structural components of the Lamborghini Murcielago is discussed, while use of aerospace grade technology and materials is justified for this particular application. The influence of fiber architecture on the strength of a composite panel for the same fiber/resin system is discussed, with a focus on the two failure modes usually considered the most critical in designing with polymer composites, delamination and flexural failure. Investigation covers four prepreg tapes and two fabrics, and the use of woven laminates over directional tape is motivated. Resin impregnated carbon fiber components can offer a great deal of weight saving with respect to their predecessors in high performance sport cars, high grade steel and aluminum, yet, while decades of research in metal science have produced manufacturing techniques that guarantee perfect surface finish, alloys that can withstand weathering agents during the vehicle lifetime, and very reliable joining methods, these relatively new materials require constant evaluation in automotive applications to ensure equal if not greater performance than their metallic counterpart. Engineering solutions for tooling operations in order to achieve class A surface certification are summarized. Design for environmental aging as well as accelerated degradation testing methods such as ASTM D2247 Cleveland and weatherometer ASTM G26 are described. Development and implementation of hybrid adhesive bonding as sole method of joining the composite body components to the tubular steel chassis is reviewed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.