Big Jump in Carbon Fiber for Automotive Use

When fabricators and manufacturers purchase things like carbon fibre sheets and prepregs from Engineswork, they do so with the intention of using them to create finished products using a manual layup process. This process is time-consuming and expensive, which is one of the reasons automakers have been slow to adopt composite materials. So imagine the industry’s excitement to learn that GM has made a big jump in carbon fibre adoption for 2019.

When GM unveiled the 2019 Sierra pickup truck on March 1, they let it be known that the truck will come with an optional carbon-fibre bed they have named the “CarbonPro Box.” The entire box is not made of carbon fibre; it is just the bed and a couple of structural elements. Their accomplishment is no less impressive though.

The complete box will be a combination of carbon fibre, aluminium, steel, a glass fibre composite, and plastic. All the materials have been designed to be completely recyclable. That, in itself, is an important achievement.

Reducing Weight with Carbon Fiber

Weight reduction is arguably the most important aspect of GM’s design. According to Composites Manufacturing Magazine, they were able to reduce the total weight of the truck’s box by some 40%. Just the carbon fibre bed alone saves 62 pounds of total weight. That much weight makes a real difference in a big truck with a big engine.

Conventional wisdom says GM’s decision to go with the composite bed is part of a broader plan to meet new fuel efficiency requirements that are now just a few years down the road. One would expect that any success they have with the design will lead to other ways of incorporating carbon fibre into their vehicles.

For the Sierra truck beds, GM is working with an OEM provider that has come up with a way to build them using chopped carbon fibres and a thermoplastic resin that can be moulded using a standard compression moulding machine. Though the details of this process are not fully known, the OEM must be able to mass-produce the beds at a comparable cost if GM is willing to include them as an option on the 2019 Sierra.

Recycling the Waste

Equally important to the equation is the fact that GM can recycle the carbon fibre materials used in the production of the beds. Recycling reduces waste and, as a result, overall production costs. GM can use the recycled material in other parts not requiring the same kind of structural integrity. Interior console parts are perhaps one example.

Of course, a truck bed made from carbon fibre is very resistant to both impact and weather. It will not corrode either. That instantly makes the bed superior to an aluminium or steel counterpart. The 2019 Sierra may very well have the strongest, most durable bed of any pickup in its class.

You can bet GM’s competitors will be paying close attention to what the company does with composites in the future. We know that Ford adopted a fully composite wheel for one of its high-end Mustangs last year, and other carmakers have dabbled in composites for small, moulded parts that can be easily mass-produced. GM’s carbon fibre truck bed raises the bar.

By this time next year, we may be talking about mass-produced carbon fibre door panels and hoods. If GM and its OEM partner can produce carbon fibre truck beds cost-effectively, they have to have other ideas in the works. It will be interesting to see what those ideas are.

Regular Car Paint Maintenance Delays Visit A Repair Shop

Even with tougher topcoats and more weather-resistant formulation, vehicle paints are still subjected to relentless bombardment by the sun’s rays, acids in the air and salt, tar and debris were thrown up from the road. In time, even the best paint from the most exacting car manufacturers will develop tiny swirls, hazing and other defects which contribute to making your car lose its showroom lustre. At this point, you may think that a visit to an auto body repair shop is the way to go to restore your car’s finish.

In time, all cars that see regular use on the road will need to visit an auto body repair shop for a respray. As a car owner, being more mindful of paint maintenance will prolong that inevitable visit. And even if you think that you can get away from this by selling your car every few years, you still need to perform some exterior and paint maintenance if you hope to get the best resale value possible.

The most economical way for automotive paint maintenance is to wash your vehicle on a regular basis. While some car maintenance tips advise washing your car once a month, a car that is a daily driver will accumulate grime and contaminants quite fast and these will combine to not only eat into the paint’s finish but also corrode some under chassis components, possibly leading to unscheduled maintenance. If you want to lessen the chances of visiting your auto body repair shop or mechanic, wash your car weekly if possible. Beyond washing, other basic paint maintenance that you should perform should be waxing. As you may have noticed, a freshly-waxed surface provides more than just a glossy appearance. A shell is also formed which helps bead water and resists contaminants and debris.

There is a huge and sometimes confusing array of automotive waxes and polishes. Take a group of people who do their own paint maintenance, and most everyone will have something different to recommend. There are liquid waxes, paste waxes and what seems to be de riguer these days, clay bars to even out your paint. As you go further down the product shelf, there will be formulations that will seem to belong more to an auto body repair or refinishing shop than on a shelf in your garage.

If your car is a daily driven commuter car, then there is no need to go use the most expensive products and procedures for maintaining your car’s finish. Any of the better-known brands that are available at superstores will do. But if you have a special project car or a high-end car, then a little more care is necessary. If that kind of paint maintenance is beyond your ken, then that is what detailing shops are for.