Development of Warm-Press-Forming Method of CFRTP Motor Vehicle Floors with Complicated Shapes

In this paper, some large automotive parts with complex shapes are produced to report the results of our efforts to develop press molding technologies for thermoplastic carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRTP). Members of industry, academia, and the government collaborated to realize this project. The project includes a molding experiment, CAE analysis, and material strength measurements. In the material test, a tensile test, bending test, heat distortion test, and torsion test are carried out to produce several stress-strain curves. Applying the new analytical model in the simulation shows that accuracy is improved. As a result, by measuring the temperature change during the forming of complex shapes, a large automotive part with a complex shape was successfully molded in a short time. Other productivity improvements are also reported on.