At the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Composites Research @ Western, Canadian and German scientists will jointly work on the process and development of fibre composite materials for lightweight construction in several markets, including construction, transportation and renewable energy.
The Fraunhofer Project Centre is a joint center established by the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) and The University of Western Ontario.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) has been working on process and material R&D for the lightweight market over the last few years. Germany is playing a major role in the lightweight construction research field. Fibre composites find increasing application, mainly in the automotive sector, as they offer low density and integrated functions.
The Fraunhofer Project Centre (FPC) will be set up with a modern hydraulic press having a maximum clamping force of 2,500 t, which will be ideal for industrial-scale research. high pressure resin transfer moulding (HP RTM), long fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) and direct – sheet moulding compound (D-SMC) will be used to perform process and material research. The FPC offers a wide range of services, including development of new materials and processes, optimization of the existing materials and processes, research in design, simulation and materials and innovations of parts, processes, tooling and materials. In addition, it provides skills along the entire value chain starting from product engineering to demonstrator part manufacturing.