The core of this new approach are laminates based on woven fabrics and unidirectional (UD) tapes that are impregnated with BASF's Ultramid® polyamide (PA) or Ultradur® PBT thermoplastic resins. These thermoplastic composites are being developed in cooperation with TenCate and Owens Corning. (See: Owens Corning joins TenCate / BASF alliance for thermoplastic automotive composites.)
The second component of the Ultracom package are the overmoulding materials that have been developed for use with these laminates. These are compounds from the Ultramid and Ultradur range. BASF says that by using them in combination with the laminates and tapes, it is possible to injection mould complex parts with very high mechanical reinforcement (using continuous fibres at precisely defined locations) while simultaneously incorporating specific functions as the result of overmoulding.
At the K 2013 exhibition in Düsseldorf in October, BASF intends to offer the first commercial Ultracom product packages:
- for parts requiring high stiffness, an Ultralaminate™ based on polyamide 6 (or an Ultratape™ if highly directed reinforcements are needed) in combination with Ultramid G12 COM with 60% glass fibre reinforcement as overmoulding compound; and
- for crash loaded applications with a need for impact strength, Ultralaminate and Ultramid ZG7 COM.
The first pre-production Ultracom parts will be displayed at K 2013.
The third component of the Ultracom package is engineering support, based on BASF's Ultrasim® simulation tool.
Investment
Working with customers in the automotive sector, BASF wants to develop production concepts for thermoplastic composites with continuous fibre reinforcement for body and chassis parts in 3 years.
BASF intends to spend a "high two-digit million euro sum" on composites R&D in the next 3 years.
Some customer projects have already started.
