In order to produce vehicles or trucks even lighter, automotive players are looking for save weight also in structural components.
For high-end vehicles and special applications, it is preferable to have wheels and leafspring suspensions made by glass fibre. This possibility allows weight saving improving driving performances and decreasing fuel consumption, also increasing the attractiveness of the component for the final customer.
When high production volumes are required, it is important to rely on a repeatable and reliable process such as HP-RTM: a multi-component mixed thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix is injected into a closed mould, in which a dry reinforcement preform has been previously placed, and where a vacuum has been applied.
After the polymerization time, the mould is opened and the finished part is extracted.
