EMERGING TRENDS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Abstract jobs include whole supply chain of suppliers,

manufacturers and dealers [1].
Owing to unprecedented climate change
issues in recent times, global automotive Recent environmental issues related to
industry is striving hard in developing novel global climate change and greenhouse gas
functional materials to improve vehicle’s fuel emissions have prompted automotive
efficiency. It is believed that more than a quarter manufacturers to focus on the development of
of all combined greenhouse gas emissions lightweight and fuel efficient vehicles. The
(GHG) are associated with road transport Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) associated
vehicles. All these facts in association with with road transport vehicles account for 27% of
heightened consumer awareness and energy all combined emissions in USA which translates
security issues have led to automotive light into 1800 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent
weighting as a major research theme across the [2]. Globally, a very alarming trend of increase
globe. Almost all North American and European in CO2 emissions has been observed since
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) 1980s, as shown in Figure 1, and since 95% of
related to automotive industry have chalked out the world’s transportation energy is derived
ambitious weight reduction plans in response to from fossil fuels [3], mostly diesel and gasoline,
stricter environmental regulations. This review there arises an urgent need to curb transport
entails main motives and current legislation related emissions to meet international
which has prompted major OEMs to have drastic environmental control obligations.
measures in bringing down vehicle weight to
The above mentioned facts and consumer
suggested limits. Also discussed are recent
awareness have forced governments and
advances in developing advanced composites,
environmental protection agencies to enforce
and cellulose-enabled light weight automotive
stricter regulations in curbing the emissions
composites with special focus on research
which are directly responsible for drastic climate
efforts of Center for Bio composites and
change phenomena around the world. Obama
Biomaterials Processing (CBBP), University of
administration’s recent commitment in
Toronto, Canada.
November 2014 of an “Ambitious 2025 Target
to Cut U.S. Climate Pollution by 26 - 28 Percent
Keywords
from 2005 Levels” [4] seems in direct response
Automotive Light weighting, Bio composite, to global community’s concern in combating
Cellulose, Hybrid Structures rising CO2 emissions in last three decades.
Achieving these emission cuts necessitates
Introduction stringent fuel efficiency standards for
automobiles which have forced OEMs
Automotive industry has always played a worldwide to further reduce their vehicles’
pivotal role to generate high-value and high- weight
volume economic activity in almost all
industrialized regions of world, especially in National Highway Traffic Safety
North America. It is reported that USA’s Administration (NHTSA), USA, in association
automotive industry supports around seven with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
million jobs worth $500 billion in annual USA has jointly proposed a national program
employee compensation; these private sector that would significantly reduce carbon emissions
and improve the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty

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 EMERGING TRENDS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS

vehicles. This new initiative is intended to

promote specific measures within automotive
industry in reducing fuel consumption leading to
significant savings of about 1 billion tons of
GHG emissions. Light weighting could be one
major component to achieve these standards
under which the fleet-wide fuel consumption is
foreseen to drop as much 16% to 24%, Figure 2
[5].

Apart from climate change and GHG

emissions, other strategic and geopolitical
concerns have also led to fuel saving measures
in automotives, especially in USA. U.S.
Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies
Office (VTO) programs have multidimensional
mandate to develop automotive Lightweight
Materials (LM) ensuring energy security through
use of renewable sources [7]. Now it’s a
common understanding that a 10% reduction in
vehicle weight has potential to save 6% - 8%
fuel consumption [8] [9], and since lighter object
needs less energy to get accelerated compared to
heavy ones, obviously, lightweight materials
provide a better opportunity to enhance vehicle’s
fuel economy and mitigate GHG emissions. main thrust in this research area is to enable
engineers in making informed decisions on
Traditionally, a car is made of a variety of material selection to have cost-effective weight
materials ranging from glass and metals to reduction by substituting steels and AHSS in
plastic composites, Figure 3. As evident from body and chassis structures of vehicles. A
data, metals make a significant part of whole number of multinational companies are engaged
vehicle weight; therefore, research efforts are in developing commercial products in this area;
underway to develop new advanced high however, being metal in nature, there is certainly
strength steels (AHSS) to reduce the vehicle a limit up to which weight reduction can be
weight [11]. achieved by employing the new class of steels
and sheets. On the other hand, aluminium and
magnesium and magnesium alloys have been
also emerging as an alternative to steel for light
weighting; however, the use of these alternatives
offsets the advantages of light weighting with
their high cost, performance and environmental
impact.

Recent advances in polymers and novel

composites have enabled these materials to be at

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 EMERGING TRENDS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS

the forefront of lightweight technologies. Since [16]. In another market study, the demand for
advance composites are of high strength and lightweight materials, polymers and composites,
their rigidity also helps to maintain same or in the North American automotive market, is
higher level of safety as provided by projected to rise to 8020 million pounds in year
conventionally used materials to manufacture 2019 which is 53% higher than year 2008 [17].
both aerospace and road transport vehicles. The
primary advantages of using composites in In the following sections of this article,
automotives is the weight reduction as the after reviewing major OEMs’ plans to
composites are up to 35% lighter than implement their lightweight material
aluminium and 60% lighter than steel and the development programs, a detailed discussion is
use of composites in automotives can leads to an presented on emerging trends in low-cost carbon
overall vehicle weight reduction of up to 10% fibre and cellulose-enabled composites which
[12]. In addition to this, tooling investments can are projected not only to replace traditional
be reduced up to 50% - 70%, as in one plastic-specific automotive
assembly, composites can replace eight metal
stampings and hence have a positive impact on
the energy associated with the assembly and
tooling [13] [14]. Currently used composite
materials based on thermo set as well as
thermoplastics include sheet molding
compounds or bulk molding compounds
(SMCs/BMCs), glass fiber mat thermoplastics
(GMTs) and long fiber reinforced thermoplastic
composites (LFRT), where the fiber component
is glass fiber

Other class of light weighting materials

used in automotives for the “greening” of
automotive industry are natural fiber reinforced
composites. Replacement of glass fibers with
natural fibers allows lighter components as the Environmental Implications:
density of natural fibers (1.5 g/cc) are lower
compared to glass fibers (2.5 g/cc) while
Consumer Needs & OEMs’ Proactive
simultaneously increasing the proportion of Action Plans
renewable resource content within the vehicle.
Global climate change issues leading to
Many manufacturers are using these green fiber
catastrophic natural disasters in recent times
composites for non- and semi-structural
have transformed consumer awareness and their
applications in their vehicles and examples are
priorities. Now these well-informed customers
given in Table 1.
of automobiles place fuel efficiency and
As far as the market outlook for total environmental friendliness design among their
lightweight materials for automotive industry is top four priorities, Figure 5, as reported by a
concerned, its growth is expected by CAGR of recent comprehensive assessment of the global
8.5% till 2019, whereas composite market will automotive industry by KPMG International
experience a growth of CAGR of 6.6%, Figure 4 [18].

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 EMERGING TRENDS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS

By the year 2020, automotive market is such as BMW AG and Audi AG who have
expected to grow to 100 million new vehicles been pioneers in light weighting.
per year. “Light weighting” in transport industry
Emerging Trends in the Light
has become a major theme of research in recent
years; the main motives being anticipated fuel weighting Material
savings and meeting stricter environmental Development: Carbon Fibre-A
legislations in various jurisdictions such as Resurging Dream Material
Europe, North America, and Asia. In order to
Lightweight design of automotive
meet the CO2 emission targets set for Europe in
construction materials has become of
2020, i.e., 95 g CO2/km, a 200 - 300 kg weight paramount importance to not only
reduction of the vehicle is required [19]. North reduce the carbon footprint of their
American automotive OEMs are striving hard to final products but also to conserve
reduce their overall fleet weight in significant valuable and depleting resources. The
numbers for both luxury and standard cars; in existing approaches of substitution and
fact some companies have set an ambitious structure re-designing with traditional
target of reducing up to 350 kg (about 20%) of materials have reached their limits and
there exists an urgent need to explore
car weight by 2020 [20] as shown in Figure 6.
non-metallic but equally functional set
of materials to achieve stricter fuel
saving targets. Quite recently,
lightweight fibre-reinforced plastics
(FRP) have become material of choice
due to their flexibility, functionality
and formability into intricate hybrid
and multi-part designs. Generally the
FRPs are employed in areas dominated
with tensile-stress, whereas metals find
their utility in compressive-stress areas
of automotive applications [21].

Recently, carbon fibers are being

used as the reinforcement for plastic
matrices, as these composites have
most weight reduction potential, and
have higher stiffness compared to glass
counterparts—commercial grade
carbon fibers offers a modulus of 230
Overall, according to same report, 9 out GPa, which is three times higher
of 11 automotive OEMs plan to reduce a compared to E-glass fibers (70 GPa)
weight of at least 100 Kg year over year with a specific gravity only of 70% of
(YoY) of their entire fleet weight. The E-glass fibers [22]. However, the high
main reason cited for this accelerated cost seems a hindrance to mass scale
weight reducing program is to meet strict
exploitation of this wonder material.
North American fuel efficiency levels
and CO2 emission standards in Europe.
Recent advances in manufacturing low-
The OEMs spearheading these programs cost carbon fibre and its recycling has
involve both mass scale producers, like opened up new venues for lightweight
Hyundai Motor, Volkswagen AG and Ford automotive manufacturing
Motor and luxury vehicle manufacturers

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 EMERGING TRENDS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Emerging Trends: Carbon Fibre- National Laboratory being founding

Reinforced Hybrid Automotive research partners. Funded through $70
Lightweight Materials million in federal and $180 million in
non-federal funds, IACMI will focus on
Carbon fibre, being twice as strong increasing production capacity of
and 30% lighter compared to glass fibre carbon fibre and developing less
[22] [23] has been used in automotive expensive but advanced fiber-
applications for some time. However, reinforced polymer composites for
due to very high cost, these materials automotive and other industrial sectors
are usually employed in high-end [27]. Incorporating short and nano
products like sports vehicles or luxury fibres can certainly exploit the fullest
cars. Hybrid design of carbon and glass potential of high strength carbon
fibre reinforced composites have been material in hybrid design as a measure
recently introduced with encouraging to have better properties and economize
results. Hybrid composite structures the formulation. Fua et al. [23] have
have been developed using varying reported 20% increase in ultimate
ratio of glass and carbon woven fabric tensile strength of short carbon fibre-
in epoxy matrices and it is shown that, polypropylene composites compared to
when employing at the exterior, similar glass fibre-filled samples.
composite laminates having 50% ratio Although synthesis of nano carbon
of carbon fibre reinforcement exhibits fibre and their composites have been
optimum flexural properties and reported highly energy intensive, up to
alternating carbon/glass lay-up 12 times more energy consuming
arrangement ensures best compressive compared to steel, but overall life cycle
strength [24]. studies have shown net savings in
energy due to lightweight body parts
Commercial products arising
used in vehicles [28]. Hybrid
from research in this area has already
formulations, where carbon fibre is
been developed by a number of
selectively incorporated into glass or
companies. Quantum Composites (Bay
other reinforcement fibres to enhance
City, Mich., USA), a subsidiary of The
performance along lading paths in
Composites Group, has very recently
automotive applications, is one option
launched a hybrid carbon-glass fiber
to offset high cost of carbon fibres.
composite material, believed to be a
However, a true potential of this
high-strength, cost effective and
otherwise excellent lightweight
lightweight substitute for conventional
material can be realized until
metal and glass fibre applications in the
economically sustainable
automotive industry. This brand named
manufacturing methods are not
hybrid material, AMC-8590-12CFH, is
introduced. Currently, research
suitable for fast-cure compression
institutes and other stake holders are
molding to manufacture complex parts
actively working on three research
on mass-scale [25] [26]
themes;
Very recently, Department of
• Advanced/alternate production
Energy USA in association with
techniques to produce low-cost carbon
various universities and research
fibre from traditional feedstock, like
institutes has launched the Institute for
PAN precursor.
Advanced Composites Manufacturing
Innovation (IACMI); the University of
Tennessee, Knoxville, and Oak Ridge

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 EMERGING TRENDS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESS

• Exploring low cost and structures. Although the automotive

renewable pre-cursors to synthesis industry sector was using only 2150
carbon fibres. tonnes, about 5%, of total global carbon
fibre use in year 2012, however, there
• Recycling of carbon fibre in large exists a great potential of growth in this
volumes. industry. According to a recent market
study, published by Carbon Composites
Low-Cost Carbon Economy EV and AVK, the annual growth of
carbon fibre in the automotive sector is
Advanced Production Techniques predicted around 34% by year 2020,
and Alternate “Affordable” ranking among top three carbon fiber
Feedstock consuming market [39]. Recycling of
carbon fibre has seen great urgency in
The manufacturing cost of carbon recent times among not only virgin
fiber is the main deciding factor in its fibre manufacturers but also post-
ultimate use in lightweight automotive consumer material handlers. Another
industry on mass scale; around 50% very critical motive for recycling of
manufacturing cost being attributed to carbon fibre is the compliance with the
precursor feedstock whereas 43% refers European Union (EU) end-of-life-
to conversion process in transforming vehicle (ELV) directive which dictates
precursor into carbon fibre and surface that 85 percent, by weight, of the
treatment, rest being spent on spooling, materials used in automotives,
etc. [29]. A number of research efforts especially car and light truck built for
are underway to develop low-cost the 2015 model year and beyond, must
conversion techniques in reducing be recyclable [40].
overall cost of carbon fibre from
traditional precursor, PAN. Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL), USA,
has been working to develop a higher-
speed, lower-cost oxidative
stabilization process and very recently,
in collaboration with RMX
Technologies (RMX), they have scaled
up a plasma-based oxidation process to
the capacity of 1 ton/year. ONRL has
further reported a net savings of 30% in
energy consumption per kg of carbon
fibre compared to conventional
methods [7] [30].

Recycling of Carbon Fibre

Widespread landfilling of solid waste
around global urban centres have
prompted the need of recycling to new
levels [38]. As the automotive light
weighting mandate is gaining
momentum rapidly, concerned OEMs
are looking forward to cost-effective
feedstock options to develop composite