Future mobility applications will be characterized by a high level of resource efficiency due to the application of novel lightweight materials and function–integrating, multi-material design concepts. Textile-reinforced thermoplastic composites in particular pave the way for lightweight components characterized by highly specific mechanical properties and efficient production processes. The Collaborative Research Centre SFB 639 “Textile-reinforced composite components for function-integrating multi-material design in complex lightweight applications” conducted extensive investigations into hybrid yarn textile thermoplastic (HYTT) composites.
The tasks tackled by SFB 639 were assigned to five project groups (A–E): “Textile processing design” (A), “Textile-adapted joints” (B), “Design of hybrid lightweight structures” (C), “Function-integrating components” (D) and “Demonstrators in Multi-Material Design” (E).
This special issue of Advanced Engineering Materials, guest-edited by Niels Modler and Werner Hufenbach, presents selected articles based on results achieved in the collaborative research centre over the last years.
The potential offered by lightweight designs based on function-integrating textile-reinforced thermoplastics was demonstrated by systematically combining the results of all research projects and applying them to the “FiF,” a lightweight demonstrator vehicle for the urban traffic applications of the future. The FiF is designed to transport goods on construction sites, in factories or in pedestrianized zones. Its novel design perfectly complies with the requirements placed on this class of vehicle due to the use of a multi-material concept, a high degree of functional integration and enhanced process chains.
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This Essay presents the strategy pursued by SFB 639, a concept for the holistic analysis of complex process chains and a novel function-integrating design concept based on tailored materials in the shape of the innovative FiF electric mobility technology demonstrator vehicle.
In this Full Paper the application of Time–Temperature Superposition for the determination of isochronous stress–strain diagrams of textile-reinforced thermoplastic composites under compressive load in laminate thickness direction is evaluated.
In this Full Paper a phenomenological material model is used to predict the initial material failure and the progressive crushing failure modes of crash tubes.
