3D-LIGHTRANS

ABSTRACT

The 3D-LighTrans project’s objective is to establish and facilitate the innovative highly flexible and adaptable access to the low-cost production technologies for high performance 3D production, lightweight and multifunctional in polymer fibre reinforced with composite materials for structural elements. This will be achieved through the use of innovative approaches to individual manufacturing processes and their integration into complete chain, fully automated manufacturing and highly flexible.

Textile reinforced polymer composites (TRPC) hold the promise for enhanced products featuring superior properties, such as light weight and high strength, with comparatively low material costs. This promising potential is nevertheless hindered by the lack of appropriate processing technologies to enable low-cost manufacturing of mass products with sufficient quality.

The goal of the 3D-LightTrans project is to create a highly flexible manufacturing chain for low cost production of integral large scale 3D TRPC parts, based on innovative approaches for the individual processes and its integration in the complete supply chain. This will enable to shift TRPCs from its current position in cost intensive, small series niche markets -like aeronautics-, to broadly extended mass product applications not only in transportation, but also in health, energy, leisure and other key sectors.

To fulfil this goal, the 3D-LightTrans manufacturing chain relies on an innovative approach: Multimaterial semifinished fabrics made of hybrid yarn are formed to deep draped prefixed multilayered and multifunctional 3D-textile preforms, which are then processed into the final composite part by an efficient thermoforming process. By integrating novel process steps from a knowledge-based manufacturing approach and with full automation, 3D-LightTrans will open the way to a totally new concept for the design, manufacturing and application of high-tech composites for low cost mass products in a wide range of sectors.