Automotive

Since the begin of its history, the car represents one of the most attractive things. This happened because it mixes the highest level of modern technology ( about engine, transmission, suspensions, brakes and frame) inside an aerodynamic gentle shape.

Driven by motorsport, the engineers shift their design in materials lighter and lighter, together with high level of stress tolerance, increasing the power-to-weight ratio and to avoid excessive deformations, that causes an unexpected behavior of the car (handling always means performance). Nowadays, the state of art is represented by CARBON FIBRE structures, that joints low weight values with an incredible strength.

Focusing on the chassis, we can split the frame in two parts: the SAFETY SHELL and the APPENDICES.

SEFETY SHELL is composed by:

• SILL
• A-PILLAR
• ROOF
• B-PILLAR

and its task is to ensure the crew safety and transfer as many information as possible to the driver about the tyres adhesion .

The APPENDICES are all those elements that need to be joined to the safety shell :

• Engine
• Wheels
• Suspension

and specifically in a composite structure, need to be thermally insulated to avoid any possible resin degradation that can compromise the overall chassis skills.

Using a carbon fibre frame, we need to know that the structure is made by hand and can hide a number of defects inside; these may be caused by building process (material status, treatment cycle, layers lay-up) or by impacts resulting from the use of the vehicle (daily or on truck).

Since its early days Q.I.Composites takes an important part in the Automotive sector to guarantee the correct implementation of the carbon fibre parts. We are mainly focused in giving a true FEEDBACK about the status of the structures, in particular:

• Check and verify the correct THICKNESS VALUES compared with the lamination plans
• Identify possible interlaminar DELAMINATIONS or VOIDS
• Evaluate the level of POROSITY and classify the overall skin status
• Verify the complete adhesion of the METAL INSERT
• Check the SKIN-CORE adhesion of the sandwich parts

Our know-how acquired in these year in the various area of the automotive sector (Formula 1 proto, Race car, day-use car) allows us to study and perform a complete control procedure focused on those parts that show more defects during the building process, or those that are more involved in crashes. Joining these results with other information (like the material suppliers, the last race done, the user, the builder etc.) we can have an idea of the frame status before doing the check and focalize our attention on sensitive parts.

Identify, define the shape, investigate the causes and follow the defects restore process is our task to ensure customer satisfaction and maximum safety for the users .