Coupling Thermosets and Thermoplastics – Bringing Racetrack Performance to the Roads

What if you combine one of the most common production methods in automotive – fast, precise, cost efficient – with high-end natural fibre deco elements that both reduce environmental impact and offer unique design opportunities?  Vernicolor teamed up with Bcomp to find out. The result – plug-and-play market ready back-injected deco parts for automotive interiors with Bcomp’s technical ampliTex™-PP fabrics – looks a stunner if you ask us! The ampliTex™ range offers unique design opportunities with colours and weaves. Readily available as a drop-in solution, ampliTex™-PP can be used directly in the most wide-spread production process for interior decorative parts. Thanks to the customisability of ampliTex™, different aesthetic surfaces can be achieved from a single existing tool. Therefore, ampliTex™-PP offers design freedom and ease of implementation. Furthermore, ampliTex™-PP has passed the strict UV & scratch resistance specifications of several OEMs and, unlike many other materials, does not need any additional coating. “Vernicolor is a pioneer in high-end decorative automotive parts, and it is an honour to collaborate with them to further develop our natural fibre solution for the wide market”, comments Nicolas Samson, Senior Sales Manager Automotive Interiors at Bcomp. “ampliTex™-PP is a drop-in solution that can easily be combined with back-injection moulding, making it compatible with the large-scale production technology most used by leading OEMs. This collaboration marks a big step for Bcomp in delivering our sustainable lightweighting technologies based on natural fibres to the full automotive market to maximise the benefits of lighweighting and sustainable materials across the entire industry.” Vernicolor is one of the leaders in decorated subassemblies, and supplies T1s and OEMs worldwide with top-quality solutions, offering a variety of production methods. The ampliTex™ deco panels will complement their offering with a new type of aesthetic and design opportunities. Bcomp is a Swiss company specialised in natural fibre solutions for sustainable lightweighting – seamlessly combining performance, sustainability with custom design opportunities. We are looking forward to continuing the collaboration! Have a question or want to stay in touch? Contact us now

Fribourg, Switzerland… Swiss sustainable lightweighting company Bcomp is excited to announce that Eberspächer, a Tier 1 supplier, has developed bus A/C covers using its natural fibre composite technology. It is a bold push towards the use of more sustainable materials in mass transport applications and closely follows Bcomp’s successful entry into large-scale production of automotive interior parts. The part was exhibited at Busworld Europe 2023, from 7-12 October, as part of the Eberspächer stand 629 – Hall 6. Eberspächer manufactured innovative prototype panels using Bcomp’s ampliTex™ technical fabric, intending to gauge interest among Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The composite panels use a vynilester resin infusion with an in-mould transparent gelcoat finish. This means that the interesting weave of the flax-based ampliTex™ is visible. The sustainable natural fibre materials used to produce the prototypes will be the same that go into the production covers for interested Eberspächer customers. If any OEMs or end customer express interest during or after the Busworld event, a rigorous trial phase will follow. Some of these panels will be installed in buses operating in diverse environmental conditions ranging from the extreme climates in winter and summer testing. Successful performance evaluations will pave the way for series approval and full-scale manufacturing. The collaboration was initiated by an Eberspächer student proof-of-concept project from the Technical School for Wood Technology in Stuttgart, Germany. The challenge was to find an environmentally responsible alternative to glass-fibre-reinforced plastic for bus A/C covers. Flax-based natural fibre composites emerged as the preferred material, of which Bcomp is a global leader. ampliTex™ is a proprietary technical fabric, made from European-grown flax plants, that is frequently used as a sustainable alternative to carbon fibre and fibreglass. It has been well-proven in body panels for demanding motorsport applications and is quickly finding its way into mass-produced road cars where it can already be found as an optional interior material on the new Volvo Cars EX30. It harnesses the natural properties of flax to produce lightweight high-performance parts with a unique aesthetic, defined by natural beauty. Depending on the application, these renewable material solutions achieve similar or superior stiffness and weight compared to carbon or glass fibre while heavily cutting CO2 emissions. Paolo Dassi - Marine and Industry Manager at Bcomp, commented: “This project with Eberspächer marks an exciting new chapter in our journey. Mass transport applications like this innovative bus A/C cover reinforce our technologies’ potential to replace conventional materials at scale. It also signals our continued growth and expansion into critical markets. As industries increasingly seek out sustainable materials, we are ready to meet the demand with our flax-based composites that offer lightweighting performance without environmental compromise.” About Eberspächer With approximately 10,700 employees at 80 locations worldwide, the Eberspächer Group is one of the automotive industry’s leading system developers and suppliers. The family business, headquartered in Esslingen am Neckar, stands for innovative solutions in exhaust technology, automotive electronics and thermal management for a broad range of vehicle types. In combustion or hybrid engines and in e-mobility, the components and systems from Eberspächer ensure greater comfort, higher safety and a clean environment. Eberspächer is paving the way for future technologies such as mobile and stationary fuel cell applications, synthetic fuels as well as the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. In 2022, the Group generated revenue of around 6.4 billion euros. Net revenue adjusted for transitory items amounted to 2.7 billion euros. More information: www.eberspaecher.com/

ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ are terms that are becoming ever more common in the automotive industry. Debuting in the motorsport industry, and being used by the likes of BMW, Porsche, as well as the McLaren Formula 1 team, Bcomp’s innovative natural fibre composite technologies are now taking the production vehicle industry by storm, already being featured in the likes of the new Volvo EX30. Embracing Bcomp’s sustainable large-scale mobility solutions can enable up to 50% weight savings and up to 70% plastic reduction vs. the common injection moulding (IMPP) solution. So, let’s see what ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ are really about and why they have become synonymous with high-performance natural fibre composites and sustainable lightweighting. The Advantages of ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ ampliTex™ is a cutting-edge, lightweight natural fibre reinforcement fabric that offers numerous benefits for the large-scale automotive industry. It is made available as different types of fabric from UD to biaxial and twills, all the way to customised weaves and can be had as prepreg or dry reinforcement for thermoset applications or more importantly as ampliTex™-PP – a ready-to-use thermoplastic material. Notably, it stands out for its ability to infuse a modern and natural aesthetic into the design of your components. With a wide range of customisation options, it allows for a multitude of looks and colours, adding a touch of personalisation and uniqueness to each vehicle. The natural material adds character and soul that shine where synthetic materials like carbon and glass fibres suffer from a dead perfection. powerRibs™ on the other hand draw inspiration from the supporting 3D structure of leaf veins. They represent a groundbreaking patented composite technology that delivers an unmatched stiffness-to-weight ratio while using minimal base material. They can be used to reinforce almost any composite shell structure and in combination with many different composite materials and manufacturing processes.         Previous image Next image In automotive interiors, ampliTex™ can replace petrol-based materials, such as IMPP or traditional cover materials, which helps to reduce CO2 emissions during the production phase of a vehicle. It is compatible with standard production methods and, as a readily available drop-in solution, can simply be used in a traditional injection moulding tool to create a high-end part with a supreme visual quality directly from a one-step-process. When used in combination with well-established NFPP, ampliTex™ has significant weight reduction capabilities vs. the IMPP benchmark while providing a one-step production process that yields a high-end surface straight out of the tool. The aspect of lightweighting also helps reduce CO2 emissions produced during the use phase of the vehicle, as a lighter car consumes less energy to cover the same distance. powerRibs™-PP can either be used in combination with ampliTex™-PP and NFPP for a very lightweight mono-material solution or it can be used in conjunction with an NFPP layer and any standard cover material to provide lightweighting benefits even in areas that are not directly visible. Manufacturing interior components with the ampliTex™-PP and powerRibs™-PP technologies allows for up to 50% weight savings and up to 70% plastic reduction vs. the usual IMPP go-to solution. From the Fields of Europe to Your Everyday Vehicle The automotive industry stands among the largest contributors to global CO2 emissions. However, it's crucial to recognize that this environmental impact isn't solely limited to a vehicle's use phase. Indeed, a substantial portion of CO2 is emitted during both the production and the end-of-life stages of a vehicle's life cycle. Now, natural fibres composites, coming from flax plants that have been cultivated and used for centuries in Europe, could play a significant role in reducing the emissions and impact of the automotive industry.         Previous image Next image Production Process The production process of a car plays a significant role in contributing to CO2 emissions throughout its entire life cycle. Material emissions and energy intensive manufacturing steps add up to what results in the largest chunk of emissions for a state-of-the-art electric vehicle. In comparison to conventional IMPP parts with traditional cover materials, the innovative combination of ampliTex™-PP, NFPP and powerRibs™-PP presents a solution that slashes the quantity of CO2 emitted from cradle to gate by up to 60%. Not only does the Bcomp technology have a substantial positive environmental impact, but it also delivers practical benefits for large-scale production. Easily integrated into existing production lines, it can simplify manufacturing by eliminating certain steps. Creating parts with a perfect visual surface directly out of the mould allows to forego additional steps like the application of traditional cover materials. The possibility of implementing a one-step back injection process for local reinforcements and fasteners further enhances efficiency, allowing the solution to comply with tight time restrictions in mass production settings. Use Phase Beneath the captivating, modern and natural aesthetic of ampliTex™ with its unique character lie the true sustainability benefits of Bcomp’s materials. Weight savings of up to 50% on part level unfold their full effect throughout a car’s lifecycle and use phase. Every gram that is saved in an interior component helps the vehicle to consume less energy to travel a certain distance thereby contributing to a substantially lower amount of CO2 emissions during its use phase, without compromising on performance. End of Life Now, more than ever, considering the end-of-life phase of products holds paramount importance. Reducing the plastic content in parts by up to 70% thanks to the benefits of our renewable material solutions is already a big step but we don’t stop there. Components made with a mono-material combination of ampliTex™-PP, NFPP and powerRibs™-PP can easily be converted into a new base material at the end of their useful life. Shredding components and compounding them into flax-PP pellets creates a new base material for injection moulding processes. This means that parts made with Bcomp’s thermoplastic ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ materials can be completely recycled and repurposed to serve a 2nd life in another set of components. Polestar Precept seat with ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ Using the Bcomp Solutions Bcomp offers a diverse range of adaptable and customised product solutions to cater to a wide array of needs. Beyond cutting-edge sustainable technologies, Bcomp provides strong support and guidance, ensuring the seamless implementation of Bcomp innovations in both vehicles and production processes. Sustainable Lightweighting Designing parts to be manufactured with a combination of ampliTex™-PP and an NFPP base layer or ampliTex™-PP, NFPP and powerRibs™-PP as an additional reinforcement, allows you to make the most of our sustainable lightweighting potential. Replacing conventional IMPP components with our large-scale natural fibre technologies allows for up to 50% weight reduction, up to 70% less plastic use in the component and up to 60% lower CO2 emissions from cradle to gate. Processing happens in conventional compression moulding machines with dedicated tools and Bcomp’s engineering team is here to support you with its expertise through the entire implementation from first idea to the final part out of press. Sustainable Design Where the sustainable lightweighting concept is focused on exploiting the full potential of Bcomp’s ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ technologies, the idea of sustainable design combines sustainability benefits with a desire for unique aesthetics. The character and soul transmitted by the natural appearance of ampliTex™, is combined with the simplicity of an injection moulding process. Used as a customisable visual layer, ampliTex™ can replace traditional petrol-based cover materials with a renewable alternative while guaranteeing highest ease of use as a drop-in layer in your injection moulding process. This simple compatibility with one of the most widely used production processes, really allows OEMs and Tier 1s to easily embrace the sustainable design perks of ampliTex™ without having to worry about added complexity. With a variety of weave and colour options, ampliTex™ is guaranteed to fulfil your wishes for sustainable design options. And with the possibility to completely customise and tailor our beautiful natural fibre composites to customer needs, your imagination is the only limit between you and the future of sustainable interior design. Have a question or want to stay in touch? Contact us now

The beginning of fall season in the northern hemisphere also marks the prime time for launching new kitesurf gear. We’ve recently taken a look at our flax fibres taking a prominent role in kiteboards and improving their performance while replacing synthetic materials with a more sustainable alternative. Now we can expand the list of kiteboard gear with our ampliTex™ flax fibres by another great piece. AK Durable Supply Co. has just introduced their new Method RS harness with FlaxFusion construction. Featuring ampliTex™, the Method RS FlaxFusion waist harness comes with ergonomic hardback support and the Aerobar RS quick ratchet adjustment. Designed using years of composite experience, the new Method RS harness has a 3-stage flex pattern with added edge flex and accurate anatomical curvature for the ultimate ergonomic fit. The ampliTex™ hardback combines maximum stiffness through the center with flexibility along the harness edge and flexes along with your body’s movements. Additionally, a full neoprene interior and a layer of memory foam protect your back from the hard external shell and guarantee ultimate comfort. Created in collaboration with Bcomp, AK Durable Supply Co. created the FlaxFusion construction with ampliTex™ natural fibre reinforcements for a long-lasting rigid structure, giving you the same high-level support for a long time to come. Jack Rieder, freestyle kiteboarder, is excited about his new harness: “The Method FlaxFusion RS provides me with endless back support while still allowing me to move freely in the directions I need for grabs unhooked. The RS system allows me to fine tune how tight I wear my harness depending on the discipline and conditions. If I want it a bit more snug, I can even tighten it up while riding in for my next trick.” Product designer, Craig Tompkins, is very happy about this great collaboration with Bcomp: “We really enjoy working with the knowledgeable experts at Bcomp. Not only was the technical material information available, but the collaboration allowed for the R&D process and for us to appropriately specify the material for accurate performance and flex characteristics.” The Method RS FlaxFusion waist harness now joins the Apex Eco board with ampliTex™ flax fibre reinforcements from partner brand Airush. Already launched earlier this year, the Airush Apex Eco kiteboard is an all-around versatile twintip for performance freeride and big air. The mix of flax fibre and basalt reinforcements creates stiffness between the feet while the ampliTex™ natural fibres provide increased damping for a smooth ride in choppy conditions and buttery landings. Learn more: 23-24 AK Durable Supply Co. product range Method RS FlaxFusion harness Airush Apex Eco kiteboard All images © AK Durable Supply Co. and © Airush Have a question or want to stay in touch? Contact us now