 |
| news cars Lamborghini |
 |
| news cars Lamborghini |
Carbon fiber, carbon graphite or graphite fiber consists of thin fibers composed mostly of carbon atoms. These atoms are bonded in microscopic crystals that align parallel to the axis of the fiber. This makes the fiber very strong compared to its size. The material can be combined with a plastic resin and molded to form composite materials, one example being the carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Because the density of it is much lower than steel density, carbon fiber can be used were low weight is required. Due to high tensile strength, low weight and low expansion when heated, aerospace, civil engineering and motorsports use this material in numerous applications. The disadvantage is that it is an expensive material compared to fiberglass or plastic.
Because of the interest in technologies that can reduce fuel consumption for cars, carbon or graphite fiber is an interesting material as it can reduce the body weight of a car. Reduction in body weight means also smaller engines which in turn might reduce fuel consumption. There is a potential of 65% savings when graphite fiber composites are used instead of steel.
Lightweight racing cars that contain carbon fiber today have a monocoque stressed skin design that means reduction in both weight and manufacturing costs. For passenger cars, however, the manufacturing techniques make this approach too expensive for anything but niche cars. Here the cost restrictions are not as tight as to make use of such new materials unappealing.
 |
| news cars Lamborghini |
McLaren makes a few hundred sports cars every year, and carbon graphite is used in the car body. BMW uses carbon fiber front and rear bumpers, roof and beams together with other internal structures on its M6. GM has also started using graphite fiber in Corvette.
 |
| news cars Lamborghini |
Daimler AG will develop carbon fiber car parts in cooperation with Toray Industries, a Japanese textile maker, and car parts will be used in Mercedes-Benz starting with 2012. Mercedes Benz SL class will be the first cars to use the graphite fiber composite materials. Toray is the world's largest carbon fiber manufacturer and this is the first project to develop car parts at the company's plant in France.
The new processing method allows molding of auto platforms in 10 minutes. It still means double the time needed for regular sheet metal and graphite fiber is ten times more expensive but Toray's new method can still reduce manufacturing costs dramatically.
Carbon or graphite fiber has been in use for quite some time in the aircraft industry and we might be able to afford a car that is made of it in a few years from now.
