Re-designing EX-CORE for large scale automotive manufacturing

Reducing cure cycle times of EX-CORE

Master thesis (2018)

Authors

K.J.M. Mattheus Aerospace Engineering

Contributors

J.M.J.F. van Campen (supervisor 1)
J. Sinke (supervisor 2)
J.C. Bijleveld (supervisor 2)
J. Wiersma (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Aerospace Engineering
Copyright: © 2018 Katleen Mattheus
Numerical model Sandwich structures EX-CORE Syntactic foam Cure cycle optimisation
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Published Date

11-12-2018

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

EX-CORE, a novel foam core material developed by Donkervoort Automobielen B.V., allows the creation of complexly shaped sandwich structures in a one-shot out-of-autoclave manufacturing process. Products with small tolerances and high surface quality on all surfaces can be obtained. The EX-CORE technology has achieved its intended goal at Donkervoort of saving cost and time for the production of sandwich structures for their cars. Now Donkervoort has the ambition to further develop EX-CORE for larger scale automotive manufacturing. To make the EX-CORE technology competitive with other composite production processes, the cycle time of several hours should be reduced to several minutes. The present work contributes to this development by re-engineering the EX-CORE foam composition such that cure cycle time reductions can be achieved.