LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany—BASF plans to spend millions of euros to develop new thermoplastic and thermoset composites for lightweight vehicles. The company predicts OEMs can reduce vehicle weight by up to 220 pounds by using short-fiber-reinforced plastics in seats, oil pans, cross beams, air intake manifolds, engine mounts and structural inserts.
SALT LAKE CITY—Researchers at Brigham Young University have developed a new technology for creating an extremely strong bond between lightweight aluminum and ultra-high-strength steel. The technology, friction bit joining, could be a boon to automakers looking to reduce vehicle weight.
Carbon-fiber reinforced composites are popular in the aerospace and marine industries as a lightweight alternative to aluminum, steel and other metals. The material is also used to produce railcars, wind turbine blades and sporting goods.
PARIS—French auto parts supplier Faurecia and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology have agreed to work together to develop advanced industrial processes for automotive composites.
