Niche Vehicle Funding for composites manufacturing

BACS is an ambitious 6-month project that will produce a robust and very lightweight composite automotive coil spring. Project partners are Simpact (project and technology lead), Composite Braiding (specialists in braiding of thermoplastic composites) and Ariel (niche vehicle demonstration). Weight savings of up to 80% will be achieved using an advanced hollow section and unprecedented fibre volume fractions. The resulting component will be demonstrated on the Ariel Nomad niche vehicle. The developed manufacturing process will be up-scalable. The idea is that to replace heavy steel coil springs with composite alternatives will only require an update of the coil spring seats.

We would like to thank the Niche Vehicle Network who provided part funding of this project through their 2018 Proof of Concept Competition.