Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Teijin Limited

Coats American, Inc.

Selina X Zhao

Venkateshwar R Aitharaju

Hamid Ghavami Kia

William R Rodgers

Xiaosong Huang

Terrence Wathen

Bhavesh Shah

Dorel M Sala

Bradley Allen Newcomb

Elisabeth Jane Berger

Erik B Golm

Ingrid A Rousseau

Alexander Millerman

Nicole D Ellison

Ratandeep S Kukreja

Andrew J Galant

Tomohiro Ryutani

Ritesh Dixit

George Han

Glen Novak

Colin Rowbottom

An energy absorbing system includes a structural member and a composite energy absorber including a first member arranged within the structural member. The first member has a first repeating geometric pattern extending in a first direction along a first length, a first width in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and a first height in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions. The first member is made of a composite material including first reinforcing fibers and a first polymer matrix.

Composite energy absorber for electric vehicles

A method for fabricating a composite panel comprising stitching a plurality of first continuous reinforcing fibers in N first zones and M second zones of a backing substrate of a preform. The N first zones are arranged near C corners of the composite panel, where C is an integer. The plurality of first continuous reinforcing fibers in the N first zones is arranged radially relative to the C corners. At least one of a fiber density of the plurality of first continuous reinforcing fibers in the N first zones that is less than a fiber density of the plurality of first continuous reinforcing fibers in the M second zones, and a stitch density of the plurality of first continuous reinforcing fibers in the N first zones that is less than a stitch density of the plurality of first continuous reinforcing fibers in the M second zones.

Composite components and multi-zone fiber preforms for composite components

The present application discloses a method of making a preform for use in manufacturing a component made of a composite material. The method includes stitching fibers onto a film to form a fiber bed in a two-dimensional shape, removing the film from the fiber bed, and adjusting the fiber bed into a three-dimensional shape to form the preform.

System and method of forming a fiber preform for use in manufacturing a component made of a composite material

A battery tray is provided and includes a first component and a second component. The first component includes a first set of walls, where the first set of walls includes a first stitched fabric, and where the first stitched fabric includes first metal coated fibers. The second component includes a second set of walls, where: the second set of walls includes a second stitched fabric; the second stitched fabric includes second metal coated fibers; and the second component is attached to the first component to form the battery tray, which is configured to hold a battery pack of a vehicle. The first metal coated fibers and the second metal coated fibers provide an electromagnetic shield surrounding the battery pack.

Electromagnetic shielded battery tray with metal coated fiber stitched walls and corresponding manufacturing processes

A mold for molding a composite preform that has an outer edge thereabout and a plurality of tethers each attached at respective opposed ends thereof to the outer edge. The mold includes first and second mold halves defining a mold body and being configured to transition between an open position and a generally closed position, and a plurality of moveable members each having a moveable gage pin configured for being wrapped thereabout by a respective one of the tethers and a respective actuator configured for moving the moveable gage pin between a respective first position in which the respective moveable gage pin is disposed at a respective first distance from a center of the mold body and a respective second position in which the respective moveable gage pin is disposed at a respective second distance from the center of the mold body that is less than the first distance.

Mold for forming composite preforms with high precision

A composite panel for a vehicle includes a plurality of layers bonded together by resin. A sensing assembly is arranged between at least two of the plurality of layers. The sensing assembly includes at least one of a piezoelectric layer to sense vibration of the composite panel when installed on the vehicle and a thermopile configured to sense changes in temperature of the composite panel when installed on the vehicle. The sensing assembly further includes a transmitter configured to transmit data to the vehicle based on an output of the at least one of the piezoelectric layer and the thermopile.

Composite panel with a wireless, self-powered or remotely powered sensing assembly

A flash thermography device is configured to apply a flash of light to a target area on a surface of the battery cell. An imaging device is configured to capture an image of the target area subsequent to the flash of light being applied to the surface of the battery cell. A defect detection control module is configured to receive the image captured by the imaging device, analyze the image to determine whether a defect is present in the battery cell, and selectively generate and output an indication of whether the defect is present based on the analysis of the image.

Method to detect defects in battery pouch cells using angled flash thermography

A method of manufacturing a composite component according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes disposing a fiber preform in a mold. The fiber preform includes a first portion having a first edge and a second portion having a second edge. The first edge and the second edge cooperate to at least partially define a gap. One of the first portion or the second portion includes a first ferromagnetic material and the other of the first portion or the second portion includes a first magnetic or magnetizable component. The method further includes closing the gap by generating a magnetic field from the first magnetic or magnetizable component. The method further includes injecting a polymer precursor into the mold. The method further includes forming the composite component by solidifying the polymer precursor to form a polymer. The composite component includes the fiber preform and the polymer.

Composite components and methods of manufacturing composite components using magnetic forces at fiber preform seams

A mold for molding a reinforced preform having at least two apertures therein includes first and second mold halves, first and second emitters disposed in the mold halves and configured to emit light therefrom, first and second receivers disposed in the mold halves and configured to receive light from the respective first and second emitters, and first and second moving members having couplings for connection with side portions of the reinforced preform and actuators for moving the couplings between respective first and second positions. A controller determines an alignment condition based on signals received from the receivers. If the alignment condition fails to meet predetermined criteria, then at least one of the actuators is caused to move its coupling from its respective first position to a respective adjusted position that is different from the respective second position.

Mold and method for molding a reinforced preform

Class-A components (CAC) include a first and second skin layer each having a polymer matrix and a fiber reinforcing material embedded within the polymer matrix, a third layer disposed between the first and second skin layers and including a third polymer matrix and a filler material interspersed within the third polymer matrix, and a Class-A finish coat applied to the second skin layer. The fiber reinforcing materials include a plurality of substantially aligned carbon fibers and a plurality of low strength regions staggered throughout the carbon fibers. The CAC can be integrated with a rigid vehicle frame. The CAC can be a structural component. The CAC can be a door, a roof panel, or a hood. The CAC can include a layer of woven fibers between the Class-A finish coat and the second skin layer and a portion of the woven fibers can be visible through the Class-A surface layer.

Class-A components comprising moldable carbon fiber

Methods for fabricating Class-A components (CAC) include providing a molding precursor which includes a first and second skin layer each including a fiber reinforcing material embedded in a polymer matrix, a third layer between the first and second skin layers and including a third polymer matrix and a filler material interspersed therein. The fiber reinforcing materials include a plurality of substantially aligned carbon fibers having a plurality of low strength regions staggered with respect to the second axis. The method includes disposing a molding precursor within a die, compression molding the molding precursor in the die, wherein the die includes a punch configured to contact the second skin layer, opening the die to create a gap between the punch and an outer surface of the second skin layer, and injecting a Class-A finish coat precursor into the gap to create a class-A surface layer and form the CAC.

Methods for forming class-A components with moldable carbon fiber

A polymeric sandwich structure having enhanced thermal conductivity includes a first layer formed from a first polymer matrix and including a first fiber reinforcing sheet embedded within the first polymer matrix, a second layer formed from a second polymer matrix and including a second fiber reinforcing sheet embedded within the second polymer matrix, and a third layer disposed between the first and second layers, the third layer formed from a third polymer matrix having graphene nanoplatelets interspersed therein. Each of the first and second fiber reinforcing sheets is made of reinforcing fibers and includes a respective set of staggered discontinuous perforations formed therein, wherein each respective set of staggered discontinuous perforations defines a respective first plurality of reinforcing fibers having a respective first length and a respective second plurality of reinforcing fibers having a respective second length longer than the respective first length.

Polymeric sandwich structure having enhanced thermal conductivity and method of manufacturing the same

A reinforced preform includes a sheet of reinforced material having opposed first and second edges, with each edge having a respective first connection point located therealong. The preform also includes first and second tethers, with each tether being attached at a respective first end thereof to a respective one of the first connection points and having a respective second end thereof terminating in at least one of: a respective loop tied at the respective second end, a respective knot tied at the respective second end, a respective graspable member to which the respective second end is connected, and an attachment to a respective second connection point located along a perimeter of the sheet. A method and mold for molding a reinforced preform are also disclosed.

Reinforced preform and method for molding

Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich structures, methods for making/using such FRP sandwich structures, and motor vehicles with a vehicle component fabricated from a compression molded thermoset or thermoplastic FRP sandwich structure. A multidimensional composite sandwich structure includes first and second (skin) layers formed from a thermoset of thermoplastic polymer matrix, such as resin or nylon, filled with a fiber reinforcing material, such as chopped carbon fibers. A third (core) layer, which is encased between the first and second skin layers, is formed from a thermoset/thermoplastic polymer matrix filled with a fiber reinforcing material and a filler material, such as hollow glass microspheres. The first, second and third layers have respective rheological flow properties that are substantially similar such that all three layers flow in unison at a predetermined compression molding pressure. These layers may be formed from the same thermoset/thermoplastic polymer material, and include the same fiber reinforcing material.

Lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer sandwich structures

An apparatus for perforating a carbon fiber substrate material comprises a support structure including a first side support and a second side support and a cylindrical anvil rotatably connected between the first side support and the second side support. The anvil is configured to move the carbon fiber substrate material in response to rotation of the anvil. The apparatus further comprises a cylindrical cutting wheel rotatably connected to the support structure between the first side support and the second side support and positioned adjacent to the anvil. The cutting wheel includes a plurality of blades projecting outward from an outer surface of the cutting wheel wherein the blades of the cutting wheel are configured to perforate the carbon fiber substrate material when the carbon fiber substrate material moves between the anvil and the cutting wheel.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Selina X Zhao