Conventional materials used in industry cannot always meet all design specifications. Composite materials are recent favorable substitutes with numerous advantages over common industrial materials, mainly due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and low cost of machinery and equipment. By using composites, which are generally lighter than metals, a manufacturer would have greater flexibility because the strength and stiffness of the structure can be manipulated by stacking layers of laminate in localized areas and along preferred orientations. Furthermore, with advances in manufacturing processes, it is now possible to create complex shapes in autoclaves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Automotive composites as a developing market is estimated to reach $4.3 billion in 2017 with a growth rate of 7% per year. Although composites, with a contribution of only 3.6% to the automotive sector, are struggling against aluminum and steel, the potential of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites in reducing vehicle weight may surpass both aluminum and steel. The need to reduce weight is driven by EU legislation on CO2 emissions, which must be reduced to the 100% used in the Stout 46. Since the 1990s composites have found their place in series-produced cars. The BMW i3 model (2013) can be considered the first mass-produced carbon fiber car in the world, where the passenger compartment is completely made of CFRP. The growing trend of using plastics and composites is seen as a weight-saving option to decrease CO emissions2.
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