Recent developments in the manufacturing technologies of composite components and their cost-effectiveness in the automotive industry: A review study

Abstract

Regulations to reduce emissions and make automobiles more energy-efficient require supplemental sustainable development. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), especially those based on carbon and glass fibers, have been of interest to the automotive sector over the past few decades owing to their low weight and high performance. However, the lack of high-speed and energy-efficient production, high material cost, insufficient design tools, and concern for repairability and recyclability have, in the past, constrained their use in the automotive industry on a large scale. Therefore, various composite manufacturing technologies have recently been developed to overcome these limitations. In this paper, composite manufacturing technologies for automotive applications are discussed. Many advancements in these technologies have been made over the years by automobile companies and researchers. A detailed comparison was performed based on the manufacturing cycle time, mechanical properties, cost of equipment, tooling, assembly, and energy. Furthermore, the composite properties achieved through each technology, composite manufacturing flaws, assembly methods, and shortcomings of the technology and materials are discussed.