Autoclave Fabrication Makes the Lamborghini Aventador A Very Light Automobile

Autoclave fabrication is used for industrial power generation manufacturing, sure. But it’s also a pretty widespread (if a bit esoteric) way for manufacturers of all stripes to manufacture precisely formed, virtually perfect composites.

One of the flashiest deployments of autoclave—and one of the downright coolest uses of autoclave, besides maybe some aerospace stuff—is Lamborghini’s use of autoclave fabrication for making its new 2012 Lamborghini Aventador, the successor to the much-lauded Murcielago.

The Aventador shaves off about 10% of the Murcielago’s (already pretty svelte) 1750 kg, bringing it down to 1575 kg. Composite materials like carbon fiber comprise the car’s entire structure, allowing Lamborghini to use a material that’s half as heavy as steel but equally strong.

The way Lamborghini was able to use carbon fiber composites to create the Aventador was by using autoclave ovens. To wit,

Through the use of a material composed of short fiber prepregs omnidirectional with a thermoplastic resin, the pieces are forged in a few tens of seconds under 60 bar pressure and a temperature of 120 ° C. They are thus much simpler to design than those made by traditional process consisting of a superposition of unidirectional fabrics impregnated with a thermosetting resin before curing in an autoclave oven. But more importantly, they are truly recyclable.

The Aventador is a supremely sexy vehicle. Its also made from a high amount of recycled/recovered materials and boasts reduced CO2 emissions, meeting strict European auto standards.

Some Recent Advancements In Resin Infusion

Resin infusion is a popular method for creating custom composite materials, which are used throughout the power generation industry. As one of the leading methods in the composites industry, advances are being made in resin infusion constantly. Composites World has the rundown on a new advance in resin infusion.

The development CW goes over is a “tunable” polyurethane-based resin system, being engineered by Huntsman Polyurethanes. It works like this:

Two-part polyurethanes (PURs) traditionally have been limited to small parts or to continuous processes, such as pultrusion, because of fast reaction time and rapid increase in viscosity after PUR’s two components are mixed. But Connolly reported that the VITROX resin combines isocyanates, polyols and a unique, proprietary catalyst system that permits processors to “dial in” a desirable gel time and viscosity profile, yielding previously unachievable processing benefits together with mechanical properties that exceed those achieved with some epoxies.

The result of Huntsman’s polyurethane innovation is that impact-resistance, high-performance parts may be able to be formed by resin transfer molding and resin infusion using these new, “tunable” polyurethanes. Hopefully, we’ll see this sort of research help coax resin infusion manufacturing to become more widespread in the power generation industry.

Compression Molding for Power Generation Parts

Compression molding has a great track record for helping form the parts needed by the power generation industry. Now, companies called Southwest Windpower and PCT are leading the way in using innovative manufacturing processes for making wind turbines and other power generation products.

According to Today’s Energy, Southwest Windpower is switching over to compression molding:

Southwest Windpower recently switched to a newer process called compression molding. While the mold is much more expensive ($600,000 versus the typical $75,000), the finished cost of a compression molded blade is approximately 70% less expensive than the typical hand lay-up process. These updates result in increased energy production and lower product cost.

Of course, other proven innovators like Amsterdam, New York’s PCT have used compression molding for forming all manner of parts. The military, aviation, industrial, and consumer industries all use parts made by PCT’s compression molding capabilities.

Custom Composites Getting Muscles from Mussels!

Custom composites (including composite resin matrices) are used throughout many manufacturing industries. The power generation industry uses composite resin matrices like epoxy resins, polyester-vinyl ester, and polymide materials.

Aside from resin composites, there are a variety of other types of composite materials. Some of the most exciting advances made in composite technology are in high-strength carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are used in applications like constructing the world’s strongest cables, fibers, and fabrics, which all have uses in myriad industries. Any advance in carbon nanotube technology is good for the world’s technological innovations.

And some these advances are coming from the least likely of places… like the ocean.

According to Materials Review, certain species of mussel, the Mytilus edulis sports an adhesive foot whose proteins can be used in composites research. The strongly binding properties of this mussel’s feet are being translated to carbon nanotube composites, increasing some composites’s tensile strength by 500%!

As composites research continues, it makes sense to think that white-coated technicians in labs are going to make the biggest strides. But as we’ve seen for some time now, mother nature still has a few tricks left up her sleeve.

Carbon Fiber From China Going To Iran?

Here’s something a bit different in the power generation news world: a dispute about carbon fiber, and its role in building nuclear facilities.

This piece in Front Page Magazine traces the connections between China and Iran and the latter country’s efforts to gain nuclear weaponry. The United Nations has recently issued a report stating that the two countries frequently trade “prohibited ballistic missile related items.” Even worse, Iran is just weeks away from opening a nuclear power plant, the Bushehr plant, which is capable of creating nuclear weapons.

One of the most salient things that Iran is importing is carbon fiber. Carbon fiber can be used in nuclear reactors due to its robust physical characteristics. Robert Einhorn, of the US State Department, claims that China is sending a lot of carbon fiber Iran’s way. According to the UN, there are over 200 companies set up to sell Iran materials for its nuclear efforts.

We’ll see if the United States or any other UN nations take action to prevent Iran from gathering carbon fiber and other materials for its nuclear enrichment projects. The Chinese ambassador to the UN claims to support the organization’s efforts at keeping nuclear weapons from Iran, but the country will have to put its money where its mouth is.