As a result of the project, BERCELLA is ready to further invest to grant the idea to be put in practice, and this to be done also through the funding searched via a Step 2 project, in which a small value chain is gathered with the objective of filling the technological and industrial gap between the idea, its first practical implementation, and the industrial processing. The reliable, automated and robust process to industrialize the composites manufacturing is the way expected to permit industrial sectors like the automotive to implement composites in a widespread, reliable and sustainable way.
According to authoritative market studies, Over the next five years, the composite industry is forecast to be worth US$27 billion with end product applications worth US$78 billion. Current production volumes for composites are low compared to conventional materials: as a matter of example, around 1.3 billion tonnes of steel is produced worldwide annually compared to five million tonnes of glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) and 46,000 tonnes of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). However, the demand for CFRP is forecasted to rise to 157,000 tonnes by 2020 (Composites World, 2013). According to EUCIA, the value for 2014 CFRP worldwide demand was 53 k tons (+14% over 2013), with a global value of 1,98 Billion US$ (+11,9% over 2013).
According to EU cars manufacturers, the weight of an average segment car has increased by more than 30% in the last 40 years, in order to meet the expectations in terms of safety, increased comfort onboard (seating comfort and noise absorption), and space for occupants and luggage. Such trend needs to be reverted, without any possibility of compromising on these aspects that represent the driving force for car manufacturers, yet the rules for emissions reduction (already applying a taxation for every g of CO2 emitted per km, emitted by every car sold, exceeding the limit of 95 g/km) compel the achievement of every potential action towards the emission reduction goal.
The WEL-FIT project results clearly indicate the potential to reach the ambitious emissions reduction results do pass for the mass adoption of composite materials for automotive parts. This in turn can be achieved through the implementation of the hybrid composite manufacturing developed within the project, which feasibility has been proven and which results could be addressing the market and performances requirements, leading to the aimed lightweighting and consequent reduction of emissions.
