Automotive Composites: Materials, Design, and Manufacturing

Automotive Composites addresses the materials, design and manufacturing of fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) for structural automotive applications. The use of composites in the automotive industry is critically important for the design of lightweight structures to meet fuel economy standards, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase battery range in electric vehicles. This book discusses key issues around the manufacturing and mass-scale application of these composites in the automotive industry. FEATURES Teaches basic principles of FRCs for determining their mechanical and thermal behaviors Describes the manufacturing processes suitable for mass production of automotive composite components Discusses the joining of automotive composites with themselves and with other materials in the multimaterial construction of future automobiles Considers the material selection process, recycling and cost issues Includes multiple application examples around manufacturing and the design process and the performance characteristics of automotive composites vis-à-vis steels and aluminum alloys Offers end-of-chapter problems and worked examples This textbook is aimed at mechanical and materials engineering students studying automotive composites as well as professional engineers developing these materials for industry application. A solutions manual and figure slides are available to adopting professors.