Mercedes-AMG race cars now have natural fibre composite bumpers

Swiss sustainable lightweighting company, Bcomp, is now supplying its high- performance natural fibre technologies to HWA – development partner of Mercedes-AMG – for the new front bumpers on Mercedes-AMG GT4 race cars.

Set to be phased in over the coming weeks, Bcomp’s bodywork solutions will provide a sustainable alternative to the GT4’s existing carbon fibre panels, offering equivalent mechanical performance in stiffness and weight and improving safety.

The new bumper uses Bcomp’s ampliTex and powerRibs technologies, which harness the natural advantages of flax fibre. The powerRibs reinforcement grid uses the high specific bending stiffness of flax to build up height very efficiently, boosting the flexural stiffness of thin-walled shell elements significantly.

The new bumpers are also safer in the event of a crash or collision and decrease the risk of punctures significantly. Unlike the sharp fracturing and splintering of carbon fibre, ampliTex technical fabrics are far more ductile in an impact, whereas the powerRibs confine the damage zone, minimising debris and the risks to drivers, marshals, and spectators.

A full sustainability analysis concluded that the new bumper offered a total material emission reduction of 90% when compared to the carbon fibre part as well as an 85% reduction of CO2 emissions from cradle-to-gate, considering all production steps from raw material to final part. Not only do Bcomp’s materials reduce the part’s carbon cost, but they also introduce the option of thermal energy recovery. Since the new bumper is full natural fibre, it can be used for thermal energy recovery, turning approximately 80% of the energy stored in the part into renewable energy, resulting in a process without hazardous carbon waste or parts that need to go into landfill.

Reverse engineered from HWA’s original, the natural fibre bumper’s design has been collaboratively optimised over the past 12 months. To ensure that the bumper met all racing regulations and requirements, the HWA team performed extensive mechanical testing and validation. On the HWA testbench, the stiffness of the complete frontend of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 was measured, simulating the aerodynamic drag and front diffusor downforce. The tests were conducted with a carbon fibre bumper as benchmark and afterwards with the new natural fibre bumper, validating that the newly designed part performs on the same high-performance level.

Furthermore, part of the project was to validate the HWA inhouse paint processes with ampliTex and powerRibs, optimising the A-surface quality of the part up to a level that meets the quality standards of HWA and Mercedes-AMG motorsport. Production of the old carbon fibre bumpers has now ceased, and all customer teams will receive the new Bcomp version with their next orders.

www.bcomp.ch

Company

Bcomp

Tags
Related Articles

Championing the conversion to carbon fibre

To find out about the future of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the wider automotive industry, Composites in Manufacturing spoke to John McQuilliam FIMMM, chief engineer at Prodrive Composites and board member of the British Composites Society.
6 years ago Features

TCS forms partnership with Brabham Automotive

Advanced composites solutions provider, TCS, and Brabham Automotive have announced a strategic partnership in advanced material and process development for current and future vehicle builds.
5 years ago News
Most recent Articles

Exel secures deal with Chinese bus builder

Finnish composite manufacturer Exel Composites has secured a new project with Chinese automotive manufacturer Foton Bus and Coach Company to supply pultruded glass fibre composite profiles.
2 hours ago News

Zünd establishes branch in Australia

Zünd Systemtechnik has announced the establishment of its own branch in Australia. Zund Australia will be based in Melbourne serving existing and new customers from all areas of application in which Zünd is active.
1 day ago News

Login / Sign up