Ford and DowAksa have signed a joint development agreement to advance research on cost effective, high volume manufacturing of automotive grade carbon fibre, a material poised to play a significant role in the drive to make vehicles lighter for greater fuel efficiency, performance and capability.
The agreement will combine DowAksa’s feedstock capacity, carbon fibre conversion and downstream intermediates production capabilities with Ford’s expertise in design, engineering and high-volume manufacturing.
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The goal is to produce materials that make cost-effective carbon fibre composite parts that are much lighter than steel but meet automotive strength requirements.
DowAksa is a 50/50 joint venture between Dow Chemical Company and Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii.
Mike Whitens, director, vehicle enterprise sciences, Ford research and advanced engineering, said: “This joint development agreement reinforces Ford’s commitment to our partnership with DowAksa and our drive to bring carbon fibre components to the broader market. The goal of our work here fits within the company’s Blueprint for Sustainability where future vehicles will be lighter with optimised performance that would help consumers further improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.”
DowAska vice chairman Mehmet Ali Berkman, said: “Automotive manufacturers’ use of carbon fibre composites has been hindered by the absence of both high volume manufacturing methods and affordable material formats. This partnership combines the individual strengths of each company to target these challenges.”
The agreement allows the companies to collaboratively generate new, lower cost automotive grades of carbon fibre that can be applied to aligned and random fibre formats while maintaining compatibility with both thermoset and thermoplastic matrices.
The agreement also includes a pathway for potential extension of development collaboration into a commercial manufacturing partnership.
As announced in January, the companies will be part of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), announced by President Obama as part of the larger National Network for Manufacturing Innovation supported by the US Department of Energy. The agreement will facilitate the companies’ efforts in conjunction with IACMI to overcome the high cost and limited availability of carbon fibre in automotive applications.
