Innovation Insights, June 17, 2024

Our monthly webinar series “Innovation Insights” continued Monday, June 17, as IACMI EVP/CCO Dale Brosius moderated discussions on recent technology advancements from IACMI members.
We heard from:
Eric Haiss
Global Director, Automotive Business Development
IDI Composites International
System Level LCA: Determining Which Material Has the Lowest Carbon Footprint for a Truck Bed Application Automotive engineers globally are facing requirements to make their products more sustainable, with lower carbon emissions. Given the complex nature of the topic, it is difficult to determine the real Global Warming Potential (GWP) for a product, so engineers often rely on the GWP of a KG of material itself, and don’t have data on how downstream processes, and design restrictions affect the carbon footprint of the whole system. In this presentation IDI will present a study comparing the GWP of 4 equivalent truck beds using steel, aluminum, thermoplastic, and SMC. The results will likely surprise you!
Brian Rice
Director, High Rate Aerostructures & Compressed Gas Storage
University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI)
UDRI’s Composite Structure Manufacture at the Dayton Composite Center Join us to learn all about the collaborative R&D with industry and government sponsors that’s happening at UDRI’s approximately 50,000 sq.ft. facility at the Dayton Composites Center. Capabilities include: preform and structure design and manufacture using Tailored Fiber Placement; low cost tooling; autoclave; press molding; RapidClave®; Long Fiber Injection; filament winding; VACNT growth and lamination; and Femto second laser surface treatment for adhesion. Current projects are focused on high rate aerostructure manufacture for drones and eVTOL air-taxis.