Innovative design for thermoplastic support frame structures: Implementation of function-integrative hollow structures

摘要

As part of the TherMobility research project - sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) - the project partners Rehau, Storck Bicycle and the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK), TU Dresden, developed an innovative design for thermoplastic support frame structures. The frames can be manufactured in a highly automated, integrative injection-compression moulding process integrating local carbon fibre reinforcements. The technological implementation of function-integrative thermoplastic hollow structures offers high potential for various applications. Novel manufacturing processes for hollow structures made of two functionalized half shells were tested on a minibike demonstrator structure.