LFTs for automotive

applications
Frank Henning, Heinrich Ernst and Richard Brüssel of Dieffenbacher GmbH + Co
KG, and Oliver Geiger and Wenzel Krause from the Fraunhofer Institut
Chemische Technologie, discuss the latest processing technologies for long fibre
reinforced thermoplastics.

F
or more than 15 years, long fibre
reinforced thermoplastics (LFTs)
have been used in semi-structural
applications in the automotive industry.
Their main advantages are an attractive
cost/performance ratio combined with a
comparably low density. One driver for
this material is the European ELV (end of
life vehicle) legislation, which promotes
recycling, and therefore the substitution
of thermosets by thermoplastics.
The automotive industry has always
been a driver for development of new
materials, processes, design and assem-
bly concepts. The objectives of some
current developments include:
• improved safety (air bag systems, sen-
sors, electronic control units);
• comfort (navigation/communication
systems, entertainment, noise reduct-
ion in the interior);
• environmental sustainability (lower
fuel consumption, lower emissions,
low weight); and (above all)
• reduction of total system costs.
The challenge of these opposing devel-
opments has to be solved by the original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and
their suppliers. To reduce weight without
affecting the benefits listed requires new,
low density materials to be developed. At
the very least, the combination of differ-
ent lightweight materials such as magne-
sium, aluminium and composites
(whichever is most suitable for each spe-
cific component) has to lead to a signifi-
cant weight reduction at acceptable cost.
In addition, new concepts and designs
for such ‘multi-material’ vehicles have to
be developed, as well as suitable joining
and assembling technologies. This
emerging multi-material concept
requires a lot of research.
Two factors enabling the successful
utilisation of a new lightweight material
will be its processability and its cost/per-
formance ratio. LFT materials have
already shown their advantages and con-
tinuous improvement of their processing
technologies keeps them very attractive
and competitive. This article provides an
introduction to the ‘state-of-the-art’ in
LFT technologies, focusing on the
direct/in-line compounding (LFT-D/ILC)
technology, and introduces the recently-
developed ‘tailored LFT’ process.
State-of-the-art
The mechanical properties of composites
are related to the length of the reinforc-
ing fibres. Therefore, the aspect ratio
(ratio of fibre length to diameter)
describes the reinforcing capability. By
using fibres with a common fibre dia-
meter of 10-20 µm the aspect ratio of 100
corresponds to 1-2 mm of fibre length.
The definition of a ‘long’ fibre is prob-
lematic and often depends on the

Table 1. Differentiation of fibre reinforced thermoplastics.

Short fibre reinforced Long fibre reinforced thermoplastics Continuous fibre

thermoplastics reinforced
thermoplastics

Fibre length in the part (mm) <1 1-5 5-25 5-50 >10 Part dimension
Semi-finished product/ Granules short LFT-G pellets LFT-G pellets LFT-D, No semi- LFT-GMT, mat Laminate
direct process fibres finished product reinforced
Process technology Injection moulding Compression moulding Press forming
Fibre orientation in the part 3D ---------- --------------------------------------------- ----- 2D
Anisotropic effects High Medium Medium Medium Low Volitional

24 REINFORCEDplastics February 2005 0034-3617/05 ©2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

moulding process. A fibre with a length
of about 2 mm attained in the part after
injection moulding is considered long.
In standard injection moulding an aver-
age fibre length of less than 1 mm is
obtained, whereas in LFT injection
moulding, ‘long’ fibres of 2-3 mm on
average can be achieved in the part. In
extrusion compression moulding aspect
ratios of 1000 and above are obtained.
LFTs differ in fibre length depending
on the process technology. Impact prop-
erties in particular are dependent on
fibre length. Therefore compression
moulding has significant advantages
over injection moulding in terms of
mechanical performance. Usually an
average fibre length of approximately
5-20 mm in the part is considered a long
fibre (see Table 1).
The production of LFT parts started as
early as the end of the 1980s with the
processing of glass mat reinforced
thermoplastics (GMT). GMT semi-
finished products are easy-to-handle in
the compression moulding process.
However, the component properties
which can be achieved are restricted by
their dependency on the semi-finished
product variants available. Applications
for GMT include instrument panel carri-
ers, underbody panels and front-ends.
The semi-finished material is deliv-
ered as a blank. The blank is already cut
into a required shape which is predeter-
mined by the final shape of the part.
After heating of the blank in a suitable
oven the blanks are stacked and in many
cases automatically transferred via a han-
dling robot into a hydraulic press to be
compression moulded into the final part.
The processing of long fibre gran-
ules or pellets (LFT-G) also represents
the state-of-the-art. These semi-finished
products are provided as bundles of
fibres pre-impregnated with a matrix
polymer. These pellets are gently plasti-
cised in a single-screw extruder in order
to avoid damaging the fibres. The result-
ing moulding material is formed into the
component using a compression mould-
ing process. Processing LFT pellets in
a injection moulding process also
Raw materials Semi-finished
products
GMT
Polymers LFT-G
Additives
Fibres
Plastic compound
Figure 1: State-of-the-art materials and processes for the manufacturing of LFT parts.
represents the state-of-the-art, although
the final fibre length in the part is signif-
icantly shorter than that obtained by
compression moulding. Thus the impact
and strength properties are lower.
Over the past few years, processes
referred to as direct LFT processes
(LFT-D) have become established in
Europe. In these, the semi-finished prod-
uct step is eliminated and the compo-
nents are produced directly from the
constituents – glass fibres, polymers and
(if necessary) additives. The direct
process offers significant savings in terms
of material costs.
Modern processes such as Dieffen-
bacher’s LFT direct process with in-
Hydraulic press
Fully automated
transfer system
Extrudate
conveyer belt
Figure 2: Schematic drawing of LFT-D equipment.
LFTs for automotive applications
Machine technology for component production
GMT oven and press
Single-screw plasticizer and press
Injection moulding machine
LFT-D extruder and press
LFT-D injection moulding machine
LFT-D-ILC extruder system and press
line compounding of the matrix
polymer (LFT-D/ILC) offer an increas-
ing level of flexibility in material selec-
tion. In the LFT-D/ILC technology, the
matrix polymer is adjusted to the
requirements of the final part directly
during processing, i.e. additives are
included which influence the mechani-
cal and application-specific material
properties such as thermostability,
colouring, ultraviolet (UV) stability and
the fibre/matrix adhesion characteristics.
This means it is possible to achieve an
individual material recipe for each par-
ticular application.
Figure 1 compares the different
technologies.
Glass-roving-bobbins
Slit die
Twin-screw compounder
Twin-screw device
(ZSG)
February 2005 REINFORCEDplastics 25
LFTs for automotive applications
Table 2 . Comparison of thermoplastic PP and thermoset polymers.
Advantages
Short cycle time
Toughness - high damage tolerance
Low emissions
Low sensitivity to moisture
Recyclability
Unlimited storage
Secondary processing – welding,
forming, ...
Easy to process – no chemistry
Pick-up conveyor
LFT mixing extruder
LFT strand die
Cutting unit
Line control system
Figure 3: Schematic diagram of the double conveyor system.
Thermoplastics have several advan-
tages compared to thermosets (Table 2
on page 26). A high productivity
combined with functional integration
and reduction of system costs are the
main advantages of LFTs. For these rea-
sons, LFTs are exhibiting an annual
growth rate of 8%.
The LFT-D/ILC process
In this process in-line compounding sys-
tems are integrated with the moulding
process to deliver homogeneous long
fibre reinforced compound strands at
moulding temperature. In-line com-
pounding systems currently in use are
capable of providing 700 kg/hr at a screw
speed of about 500 rpm.
Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of the
in-line compounding system. Matrix
granulates and additives are delivered to
a combination of gravimetric dosing
26 REINFORCEDplastics February 2005
Disadvantages
Impregnation difficult – high viscosity of
polymer resin
Tendency to creep
Low stiffness, low compression strength
High temperature and pressure in the
process
Interfacial properties – fibre-matrix
adhesion
Crystallisation – warpage
Paintability and bonding
Supply conveyor
units, which guarantee suitable mixing
in respect of the mechanical require-
ments of the component. Usually
colorants, antioxidants, heat stabilisers
and coupling agents provide a suitable
recipe for automotive applications. The
molten compound exits the twin-screw
compounding extruder through a film
die right into the opening of the mixing
extruder (twin-screw). This is where the
glass rovings are added.
Compounding extruder
The compounder is a co-rotating, closely
intermeshing and self-cleaning Leistritz
ZSE 60/GL unit with a length/diameter
(L/D) ratio of 32. The degassing takes
place at 26D (26 x the diameter), vacu-
um assisted or at atmospheric pressure.
The underfed, partly filled cylinder guar-
antees a large surface and a sufficient
venting of the compounded matrix.
Additives can be incorporated by means
of a side feeding unit at 14D. The melt
pressure at the die is about 40-60 bar
depending on the melt flow index (MFI)
of the polymer.
Provision of rovings
To reduce the interaction of rovings, the
bobbins are placed in a specially
designed roving rack. Each roving is
guided separately through a special plas-
tic tube to avoid friction and static
charge. Each roving is monitored by a
sensor.
The rovings are fed through the tubes
to a preheating device. They are spread
on five iron bars which are heated up to
220°C. The temperature should not go
any higher to avoid the damage of the
sizing. Unlike competing technologies,
pre-impregnation of the fibres with poly-
mer is not required. Through a specially-
designed interface the fibres are intro-
duced on top of the polymer film as it
enters the mixing extruder.
Mixing extruder
The twin-screw extruder has an effective
cylinder length of about 13D at a dia-
meter of 60 mm. The cylinder cuts the
fibres to a length defined by the cylinder
geometry to obtain an average fibre
length of about 20-40 mm. The average
fibre length can be adjusted by changing
the screw design.
The mixing extruder continuously
provides the plasticised material which
enables the process to generate a com-
pound with approximately 1% deviation
of glass fibre content. A slot die vacates
the bulk moulding strand at moulding
temperature on to a fully automated
belt. To raise productivity and output a
two belt conveyer system comes into
operation. The conveyer belt is covered
by a heat tunnel to prevent the tempera-
ture falling at the surface of the extruded
strand. When the strand is gripped by a
handling robot, the heat tunnel opens.
The length of the mixing extruder of
13D, combined with the design of the
feed section, means that a separate
degassing of the extrudate is not

Average specific mould pressure (demonstrator)
250
In-mould pressure [bar]
200
150
100
50
0
30 weight % GF
Figure 5: Reduction of clamping forces.
LFT strand die
LFT mixing extruder
Line control system
Figure 4: Schematic drawing of adjustable die.
required. The strand obtained has a uni-
form geometry which is suitable for
either manual or robotic handling.
Complete automation is necessary to
obtain reproducibility and short cycle
times for large-scale production. In prac-
tice, conveyor belts are used together
with needle gripper systems, which are
integrated into the line control system.
The new double conveyor enables the
supply of two LFT strands at the same
time, which can be simultaneously
picked up by a single needle gripper. An
additional transverse movement of the
needle grippers enables an overlapping
arrangement of the strands after pick-up,
during transfer into the mould. As a
result, the formation of weld lines
between LFT strands is avoided, and (at
the same time) a greater flexibility in
Uniform strand
Profiled strand
20 weight % GF
Cutting unit
Profiled LFT strand
Servo-hydraulic control
terms of deposition patterns is achieved.
The synchronous pick-up and posi-
tioning of two strands enables a
significant reduction in cycle time com-
pared to sequential pick-up.
Double conveyer belt
The double conveyor consists of a short
pick-up conveyor which receives the
continuous strand from the LFT slot die,
a cutting unit to cut the individual
strand pre-cuts into length, as well as of
two user-programmable, adjustable sup-
ply conveyor belts (Figure 3). On these
conveyor belts the cut LFT strands are
positioned in an alternating sequence.
The double conveyor also has a thermal
enclosure (tunnel) to prevent uneven
cooling of the conveyor and the LFT
strand surface. Therefore insertion marks
February 2005
LFTs for automotive applications
in the component caused by solidified
sections on the surface of the LFT strand
are avoided.
Using a double conveyor belt leads to
the following advantages in component
production:
• reduction in cycle times as a result of
synchronous supply, take-up, trans-
port and positioning of several LFT
strand pre-cuts;
• great flexibility in terms of the depo-
sition patterns which can be
achieved; and
• avoidance of weld lines realised by
overlapping of several LFT strands.
Adjustable strand die
The adaptation of a recently developed
strand die leads to a reduction in wall
thickness of the part, as well as to a sig-
nificant reduction of the clamping forces
required.
During the manufacture of press-
moulded components made from LFT,
the geometry and deposition pattern of
the LFT strands have a decisive influence
on material flow, fibre orientations and
therefore component warpage. In addi-
tion, the pressing force required when
filling the mould, the thickness tolerance
within the components, or any resulting
weld line, as well as the minimum com-
ponent thickness which can be achieved,
are influenced.
In the case of very thin compression
moulded components with a large sur-
face area (>0.5 m²), a compact LFT strand
geometry with uniform thickness pro-
duces an exponential increase in press-
ing forces as the wall thickness is
reduced. The required pressing force gen-
erally increases according to the increase
of flow distance needed to fill the mould,
if the material has to be squeezed out of
the centre of the mould.
This situation can be avoided by gen-
erating flexible LFT strand geometries
which enable decentralised material
positioning in the mould, to generate a
mould filling which is individually opti-
mised. When utilising common slot dies,
however, it is only possible to alter the
length of the LFT strand during ongoing
REINFORCEDplastics 27
LFTs for automotive applications
Front-end assembly carrier (glass fibre content 40 wt%)
LFT-D/GF
Tensile strength 60
(DIN 53452)
Impact strength 60
(DIN 53453)
Flexural strength 110
(DIN EN 61)
Modulus of Elasticity 7200
(DIN EN 61)
*Including 30% of recycled LFT material
Figure 6: Mechanical properties of front-end assembly carrier.
production, i.e. strands of different
lengths can be provided by controlling
the cutter unit accordingly.
As in GMT processing, in which sev-
eral blank pre-cuts are stacked, several
LFT strands can be combined into pat-
terns in accordance with the component
geometry. If necessary, integer multiples
of LFT strands can be stacked in order to
vary the thickness of the positioned
moulding material. This way of assem-
bling ‘patterns’ is quite costly in terms of
cycle time and the necessary handling
equipment.
Comparable problems are encoun-
tered in injection moulding. In this case,
multiple-cascade technology is neces-
sary, which increases tooling and main-
tenance costs even more.
Implementing an LFT strand die,
with servo-hydraulically adjustable
thickness of the strand, in order to accu-
mulate material in regions where it is
needed to fill the mould uniformly, rep-
resents an breakthrough for the LFT-
D/ILC technology (Figure 4 on page 27).
The thickness of the LFT strand die
developed by Dieffenbacher can be var-
ied infinitely during the LFT strand
extrusion process. This enables the pro-
duction of profiled LFT strands accord-
ing to the geometry of the part, with an
accuracy of 0.01 mm. The first trials with
the adjustable LFT strand die revealed
the following advantages:
• avoidance of long flow distances in
components with a large surface area;
• the LFT material can be distributed
28 REINFORCEDplastics February 2005
GMT
65 (MPa)
75 (KJ/m2)
110 (MPa)
6100 (MPa)
with increased flexibility compared
to overlapping and stacking of LFT
strands;
• no multiple grippers are needed,
therefore cycle time and costs are
reduced;
• the distribution of the pressure
throughout several press centres
(material accumulation) in the mould
leads to parts with uniform thickness,
since deflection of the mould and the
press table resulting from the centre
pressing force is reduced by 0.3 mm
to 0.4 mm.
The adjustment of the required material
quantities leads to a significant reduc-
tion in the pressing force required to fill
the mould. At the same time, a signifi-
cant reduction in component warpage
can be observed, especially in compo-
nents with low wall thickness and large
surface area, as a result of the lower
degree of fibre orientation. As far as the
compression moulder is concerned, this
offers the opportunity to produce com-
ponents with a large surface area or more
components using multi-cavity mould-
ing in one single press stroke, while
pressing forces remain constant. The
component thickness can be reduced to
1.5 mm with regular press systems.
As an example, Figure 5 (page 27)
shows the lower pressing force required
for extrusion compression moulding of
an underbody panel. Polypropylene
(Dow type Inspire C705-44NA HP) and
glass fibres (Vetrotex type P319) were
used for these studies. The fibre content
was set to 20-30% by weight. The LFT
strand temperature was 240°C at the LFT
strand die. The effective surface area of
the component was approximately 1 m².
The minimum pressing force required to
fill the component was used for calculat-
ing the specific in-mould pressure as
shown.
It proved possible to reduce the press-
ing pressure by more than 40% com-
pared to the original pressing force
required for filling the mould utilising a
uniform strand. For a 20% fibre content
by weight, the effective pressure was
100 bar, and 130 bar for 30% fibre con-
tent by weight.
LFT press design
For high volume production a modern,
hydraulic LFT press with a clamping
force of 15 000-40000 kN is utilised.
Usually a press table with 3600-2400 mm
in size is used. The speed of the press
closing movement can be raised up to
800 mm/s. The maximum forming speed
is 80 mm/s. The characteristic value for
pressure build-up time is 0.5 s.
The press described is suitable for
two-cavity moulding, in which two parts
can be moulded during a cycle time of
just 22 s in the case of the production of
underbody shields. This includes the
closing of the press (including control of
working stroke and pressure build-up, 4-
5 s), cooling time (approximately 8 s),
opening of the press (including pressure
reduction and the control of the opening
movement, 4-5 s) as well as the loading
and unloading of the press (around 6 s).
The consistent mould closing movement
is supported by an active parallel motion
system.
Quality control
The PC line control unit enables the fast,
exact and concise control of process
parameters of all process components
from one single, centralised terminal. For
the production of automotive compo-
nents, the manufacturer of LFT plants
has to guarantee a process for reliable
part production including an acquisition

and evaluation system of process data.
Process data storage for each individual
part also has to be taken into account.
According to these requirements a
complete controlling concept has been
developed, including the administration
of all components within an LFT-D/ILC
plant. The evaluation of process parame-
ters is based on a user-friendly data
analysis system which is the basis for the
statistical evaluation of the process
parameters (SPC). It also observes the
long-term behaviour of the production
process by determination of process per-
formance parameters. The following
parameters are important for a statistical
quality control in order to guarantee
reproducibility:
• batch consistancy (roving monitor-
ing, material temperatures, melt pres-
sure, screw speed and torque);
• strand geometry and position on
conveyor belt (velocity of conveyor
belt, length and thickness of strand,
positioning of strand, time for robot
handling, cycle time);
• part weight (gravimetric dosing of
components, strand geometry);
• part geometry (final part thickness,
distance of female to male mould,
changeover point to force control,
force progression and pressure build-
up, closing speed of press).
The determination of essential process
parameters takes place at each different
process unit. Flow characteristics and
information about viscosity, as well as
uniformity of part thickness, zone of LFT
strand positioning and amount of mate-
rial, can be determined or calculated
with these parameters. Reproducibility
can be controlled by free programmable
positions of the male mould during one
forming process. The result of this com-
prehensive parameter evaluation and
recording is the provision of in-line
equipment which guarantees a high
reproducibility during production of
parts.
LFT properties
Figure 6 (page 28) provides a property
data comparison of an in-line com-
pounded and compression moulded
front-end module and a module
manufactured with LFT-GMT. Both
materials have a glass fibre content of 40
wt%. A property data comparison was
also carried out for a 20 wt% glass fibre
reinforced underbody cover against the
delivery specification. The test values of
the materials were generated from test
specimens which were cut out of the
components.
The property profile of the in-line
compounded material compares
favourably with the LFT industry stan-
dard, i.e. the LFT-GMT material. Impact,
flexural strength and E-modulus are
superior to the industry standard.
Therefore LFT-D and LFT-D/ILC materials
are replacing LFT-GMT and LFT-G in
many applications. In particular, energy
absorbing properties like impact resist-
ance are noticeably higher than for com-
parable long and short fibre reinforced
injection moulded parts. This helps to
explain the success of long fibre compo-
sitions for the extrusion compression
moulding of semi-structural and struct-
ural applications.
Advantages of LFT-D/ILC
The most compelling advantage of the
LFT-D/LLC process lies in the costs saved
by avoiding the manufacturing a semi-
finished product like LFT-G pellets or
GMT sheets. The economic advantage is
derived from the efficiency of the
process, its reliability, and from the use
of raw materials such as plastic pellets,
reinforcing fibres and additives.
Maintaining inventories of multiple
grades of pre-compounded pellets or
LFT-GMT sheets are not necessary and
save logistics cost. Glass fibre reinforced
thermoplastic material is produced just-
in-time, on demand.
Unlike pre-compounded pellets or
sheets, thermoplastic polymers entering
the in-line system have undergone a sin-
gle heat history. The reduced exposure to
thermal degradation leads to improved
initial and long-term properties for
moulded composite components
February 2005
LFTs for automotive applications
produced with the LFT-D/ILC process.
The expenditure for total energy con-
sumption to produce a composite com-
ponent is significantly less compared to
the alternative processes. Energy which
is spent transforming raw materials into
LFT pellets or GMT sheets, transporting
the pellets or sheets to the component
manufacturer, and subsequent re-heat-
ing of the pellet or sheet feedstock prior
to compression or injection moulding,
are completely eliminated in the direct
process.
Separation of polymers prior to the
incorporation of fibres reduces screw
wear significantly and extends the useful
lifetime of compounding feed screws
since, as unlike LFT pellet processing,
fibres are not present at the solid/melt
interface.
LFT-D/ILC is perfectly suited to
match the material formulation to the
requirements of the application. The
selection of materials is not constricted
by the efficiency of a semi-finished mate-
rial supplier’s production.
The glass fibre content and the com-
position of the moulding material can be
continuously adjusted as required. This
is realised by computer-controlled gravi-
metric feeders and screw speed or by the
number of rovings fed into the mixing
extruder. This enables the use of individ-
ual colour matching. Colour concen-
trates as well as liquid colorants deliv-
ered to the polymer of the ZSE 60/GL are
uniformly dispersed in the polymer. To
eliminate the need for custom com-
pounded pre-coloured pellet feed stocks,
custom colours are prepared in-line as
needed. The first application with an
untreated, visible surface has already
been developed.
A high degree of weight consistency
in LFT strand extrusion guarantees a
high reproducibility.
Compression vs injection
The major advantage of compression
moulding is the high productivity
resulting from the short cycle times.
Front-end carriers can be produced in a
cycle time of 30 s versus a cycle time of
REINFORCEDplastics 29
LFTs for automotive applications
Glass fibre rovings
Infra-red
heating unit
Figure 7: Plant layout for prototype production.
Table 3. Overview of loading cases for the BMW front-end structure according to specifications.
Loading Requirement
case
LC1 Worker support: Two area loads in negative Z-direction
LC2 Worker support: As LC1 but inclined at 20° in relation to the
Z-axis
LC3 Simulation of wind suction on the lock surfaces
LC4 Safety catch misuse by unlocking
LC5 Safety catch force in bumper-to-bumper collision
approximately 50 s with injection
moulding. In addition the mechanical
properties are significantly higher as a
result of the high fibre length obtained
in the part. The gentle incorporation of
glass fibres leads to a reproducible uni-
form average fibre length, which
depends on screw design. Usually an
average fibre length of 15-25 mm in the
part is recommended.
Compared to injection moulding, the
shear stresses in the melt during process-
ing and mould filling are significantly
reduced. Therefore just a small fraction
of fine fibre fragments is obtained. A
homogeneous pressure in the melt dur-
ing mould filling reduces warpage, espe-
cially in large-area parts. The adjustable
strand die makes it possible to accumu-
late the compound in mould regions
30 REINFORCEDplastics February 2005
Hydraulic press
Handling robot
Safety area
Result after
testing by BMW
✓
✓ ponent reinforcement using fabrics, pro-
✓ files or component-specific unidirection-
✓ al fibre reinforcements. Depending on
✓ the requirements of the application, the
where necessary. The open mould
enables the adjustment of the extruded
and tailored strand in a flow optimised
position.
These advantages lead to a final wall
thickness of just 1.5 mm, giving addi-
tional weight reduction and material
savings compared to injection moulding.
In injection moulding, multi-cascade
technology is required to fill large-area
parts. The distribution system affects the
degradation of fibre length and the pres-
sure gradient affects orientation and
warpage unfavourably.
In extrusion compression moulding
the excellent flow properties of the com-
pact LFT strands in which the long fibres
are well dispersed offer the reduction of
wall thickness and a significant reduc-
tion of pressing forces necessary for
mould filling. Thus the equipment costs
can be limited. Over and above weld
lines and orientations can be avoided.
The latter reduces warpage.
The possibility of double cavity
moulding is worth mentioning as well.
The LFT-D system offers a high output
rate at constant reproducible mechanical
properties. Serving two presses by one
LFT-D system is conceivable.
Tailored LFT
The combination of LFTs with local con-
tinuous fibre structures or fabrics,
referred to as ‘Tailored LFT’, represents a
further development of LFT for use in
load-oriented components in the auto-
motive industry. Using these materials or
component structures in high-volume
series production requires made-to-meas-
ure production processes. Automated
production processes specifically for the
component are a prerequisite for achiev-
ing reproducible quality with these com-
plex components.
The term Tailored LFT refers to LFT
components with integrated local com-
fibre proportions and fibre types of the
continuous fibre reinforcement may
differ from those of the long fibre rein-
forced moulding material.
Composite constructions made from
long and continuous fibre reinforced
thermoplastics enable the combination
of the design flexibility of a compression
moulding component (tight radii, ribs,
etc.) with the high mechanical character-
istics of specific oriented unidirectional
continuous fibres. The components are
reinforced in specific load-bearing sec-
tions using continuous fibres in form of
fabrics or profiles. To comply with the
specifications for structural components,
in most cases LFT components have to
be reinforced by continuous fibre rein-
forcements.
The increasing number of GMT com-
ponents with fabric reinforcements,
called GMTex®, confirms this trend. The

continuous fibre inlays significantly
increase the rigidity and strength of the
LFT components. In particular, this com-
bination of materials can help to meet
crash requirements.
The Tailored LFT technology imple-
mented in the research and development
project now provides a production
process with which LFT strands and a
component-specific continuous fibre
reinforcement are moulded into a locally
reinforced component in a single-stage
operation. The continuous fibre rein-
forcement may consist of fabrics or uni-
directional preforms.
The fabric is heated to a temperature
above the melting point of the matrix
polymer in order to achieve good fabric
draping properties and to ensure that the
fabric bonds well with the LFT moulding
material. The preimpregnated panel is
positioned on a mesh and is heated
using conventional oven technology
(e.g. with infrared heaters).
The component selected for the
development was a BMW front-end
assembly carrier. The determining factor
for implementing this technology in
future series production components was
therefore to prove the production
process under near-to-series production
conditions and (above all) to demon-
strate that economic production is possi-
ble.
The specifications for the prototype
component to be produced were estab-
lished by BMW Group (see Table 3). It
describes the requirements of a front-end
structure of a vehicle model which is
already in series production (BMW 3
Series, in-house code E46). In this vehicle
concept, the front-end structure fulfils
the function of an assembly carrier and
serves as an installation platform for the
headlights, fan, lock and locking mod-
ules and various other functional sub-
assemblies.
The objective was to implement the
front-end using a composite structure
with increased requirements compared
to similar LFT series production compo-
nents, thereby demonstrating the per-
formance capability of Tailored LFT in
LFT strands
Pre-heated
TWINTEX fabrics
Figure 8: Schematic diagram of the double conveyor system.
Figure 9: Transferring the LFT strands and the TWINTEX fabric into the mould.
comparison to plastic/metal hybrid solu-
tions. In the first phase of the compo-
nent design, a front-end structure geom-
etry was created which would be suitable
for the material and the compression
moulding process. The concept had to
correspond to the general geometrical
conditions of the component. At the
same time, consideration was given to
the integration of add-on parts and to
the integration of the component into
the structure of the vehicle. The design
was configured appropriately for the
material and ribs were added in order to
improve the stiffness properties of the
part. The geometry was converted into a
network for finite element modeling
(FEM) analysis and the network model
was subjected to structural and mechani-
cal component studies.
As a consequence of the FEM studies
an optimization of the geometry was
necessary in order to meet the compo-
nent requirements. Thus the ribbing
was optimized. In a further step, the
February 2005
LFTs for automotive applications
Pre-heated
TWINTEX fabrics
LFT strands
updated and re-networked computer
aided design (CAD) data were used for
validating the optimized component
geometry and local component rein-
forcements were integrated in the form
of continuous fibre structures. A materi-
al combination of LFT-D/ILC PP/GF30
and TWINTEX® TPP60 1870 BF505 was
used in order to ensure that the
required stiffness and strength values
were obtained.
In the component test undertaken by
BMW, the component requirements
(including the loading cases listed in
Table 3) were fulfilled completely. The
component test was performed with the
prototype installed in the vehicle.
The combination of the LFT-D/ILC
technology with local fibre reinforce-
ments not only fulfills increasingly
challenging component requirements
but also offers a high degree of econom-
ic potential due to the reduction of
processing steps and semi-finished
product costs. Tailored LFT offers a
REINFORCEDplastics 31
LFTs for automotive applications
LFT strand
Integration of functions on both
sides of the fabric reinforcement
Fabric
Figure 10: Schematic drawing of encapsulation of fabric during compression moulding.
similar performance to its competitors –
metal/plastic hybrid technology (which
is mostly used in the front-end area of
passenger cars) and fabric-reinforced
GMT semi-finished products (GMTex).
The objective of the R&D project
was to demonstrate the production
process for the BMW front-end proto-
type made from Tailored LFT under con-
ditions similar to those of series produc-
tion, and in terms of economic aspects.
The pilot plant was set up at the
Dieffenbacher Technology Center
(Figure 7, page 30).
The process is based on LFT-D/ILC
equipment as described previously, with
the following characteristics:
• compounding extruder LEISTRITZ
ZSE40, L/D 32, with melt degasifica-
tion;
• gravimetric polymer and additive
dosing systems;
• mixing extruder ZSG 75, L/D 16;
• servo-hydraulically adjustable LFT
strand die for profiled LFT strand
extrusion;
• double conveyor belt for LFT strand
extrusion and strand supply;
• infrared (IR) oven for heating the
TWINTEX fabric sheets (local rein-
forcement);
• high-precession hydraulic press
Dieffenbacher DYS 1500/1250 with
active servo-controlled parallel
motion system;
• fully automatic loading of the mould
with LFT strands and fabric reinforce-
ments by a six-axis robot with a nee-
dle gripper system (see Figure 8, page
31); and
• mould with shearing edges.
32 REINFORCEDplastics February 2005
The individual components are linked by
a superset line control system and can be
controlled fully automatically by a PC. A
comparable plant set-up is suitable for
series production of this component.
The LFT strands are supplied just in
time, tailored for optimum mould fill-
ing. The optimum geometry of the
strand pre-cuts was determined empiri-
cally and verified by simulation of the
flow by using the EXPRESS® software
package. The improved rheological data
were determined by a specially devel-
oped press-rheometer in order to gener-
ate suitable data.
The pre-impregnated TWINTEX fab-
ric sheets used for local component rein-
forcement in the upper beam area of the
BMW front-end are positioned on a
mesh, transferred into an infrared oven
and heated to processing temperature.
The LFT strands and TWINTEX fab-
rics are handled automatically and trans-
ferred using a six-axis robot.
As a first step the strand pre-cuts are
removed from the supply conveyor belt
using a needle gripper. In a second step
the fabric is also picked up and posi-
tioned adequately underneath the
strands (see Figure 9, page 31). The trans-
fer into the press is performed by a rotary
motion of the robot.
The LFT strands and TWINTEX fabric
are positioned in the mould by the robot
and the gripper system (Figure 9), with a
reproducibility of ±1 mm. The fabric
inlay is fixed in the mould using a total
number of four positioning pins. The
position of the pins is optimised to the
position of the fabric and with regard to
the shearing forces which arise during
filling of the mould as a result of the flow
impact of the LFT material. Draping of
the fabric is assisted by specific cuts of
the inlay prior to heating up.
The mould is equipped with ejector
pins and other auxiliary operating func-
tions corresponding to high volume
series production moulds. The compo-
nent was moulded on a Dieffenbacher
press with parallel motion control and a
pressing force of 12 500 kN. This corre-
sponds to an average in-mould pressure
of approximately 230 bar for a specific
component surface area of approximate-
ly 0.54 m².
The cycle time for component pro-
duction was optimized to 35 seconds for
trial operation. Shorter cycle times were
not possible due to the discontinuous
manual heating of the fabric sheets. In a
series production an automated heating
and handling process employing a multi-
ple zone oven incorporated in the super-
set line control is recommended. Thus a
significant cycle time reduction, result-
ing in a production time of approximate-
ly 30 seconds per component could be
achieved.
It was required that no fabric struc-
ture on the surface of the component is
visible. Therefore the LFT strands com-
bined with the heated fabric were pre-
positioned by the robot in order to cover
the textile by the LFT material during
mould filling. Preliminary tests had
shown that a sufficient filling of the ribs
can be achieved by penetration of the
LFT material through the fabric (see
Figure 10). The decisive factor in this
case is to select a suitable fabric with suf-
ficient draping properties. Due to their
low anti-slip properties suitable fabrics
offer openings for penetration caused by
shear stresses by the flow of the LFT
material during mould filling.
The reduction in glass fibre content
due to the fabric penetration was about
2% by weight of the absolute glass fibre
content. However, it has been shown
that penetration does not destroy the
fabric structure. Additionally it can be
identified that ribs were filled completely
by long fibre reinforced material.

Small LFT
recycling granulates
Additives
Large LFT Polymer
resin
recycling
chips
IL-compounder
Single-screw extruder
Figure 11: Closing the materials loop.
Consequently, penetration represents a
possible way to integrate functions on
both sides of a fabric reinforcement. The
symmetrical laminated structure (LFT
followed by fabric followed by LFT) also
minimises warpage, which has also
been demonstrated in preliminary
investigations.
Recycling
The LFT-D/ILC and Tailored LFT
processes offer a further economical and
environmental advantage regarding the
direct reprocessing of recycled LFT
materials. Production waste, and com-
ponents which have completed their
life cycle, can be utilised. After shred-
ding, metal parts or particles have to be
removed. Single-screw shredders with a
sieve aperture diameter of 50 mm maxi-
mum are most suitable to generate a
particle size appropriate to be added to
the virgin material. Figure 11 illustrates
a closed loop concept.
Shredded particles in the range of 8-
12 mm are mainly used to improve
mechanical stiffness and are added to the
compounder. An additional feeding and
dosing unit is required.
Large particles up to 50 mm in diam-
eter require a specific extruder with a
screw design which preserves fibre
Fibre glass
rovings
Mixing-extruder
(twin-screw)
LFT strand
length. The plasticised recycled material
is side-fed into the mixing extruder.
Outlook
The use of LFTs in automotive applica-
tions is growing rapidly. Direct
technologies such as the Dieffenbacher
LFT-D/ILC process with in-line com-
pounding show the most significant
growth rate. Besides their economic
attractiveness their major advantage is
the flexibility in which materials can be
combined. Different types of fibres as
well as the continuously variable fibre
content, in combination with engineer-
ing plastics, opens up new potential
applications.
The LFT-D/ILC technology
is well established in the
European market.
In order to meet the component require-
ments of semi-structural parts, fabric rein-
forcements specific to the load cases of
the part can be integrated locally in a fur-
ther development of the LFT-D/ILC tech-
nology termed Tailored LFT. A prototype
component shows that implementing
February 2005
LFTs for automotive applications
locally reinforced Tailored LFT compo-
nents represents a serious alternative to
metal/plastic hybrid structures. The feasi-
bility of Tailored LFT components with
local fabric reinforcement combined with
engineering thermoplastics has already
been demonstrated by the use of
polyamide 66 resins and TEPEX fabrics
supplied by Bond-Laminates.
The LFT-D/ILC technology is well
established on the European market and
is about to increase significantly in the
American market.
The realisation of external body
panels utilizing paint-less film mould-
ing (PFM) opens up new possibilities
for LFTs. A cooperation between BASF
AG, Dieffenbacher, and the Fraunhofer
Institut für Chemische Technologie
investigated the combination of glossy
surface films back-compression mould-
ed with LFT based on styrene copoly-
mers, e.g. ABS, SAN.
The major focus is the utilization of
compression moulding in order to pro-
vide a technology for a uniform mould
filling of large surface area parts avoid-
ing fibre damage and gate marks on the
surface at the injection point. The short
cycle time and the low wall thickness as
well as increased impact properties pro-
vided by compression moulding are
attractive as well. Material modification
adding mineral fillers or utilizing syn-
thetic man-made or natural fibres as
well as carbon fibres offer an extensive
development potential for the LFT-
D/ILC technology to generate tailor-
made material recipes for a variety of
potential applications.
In support of Fraunhofer ICT,
Dieffenbacher offers its Technical
Center for customer developments and
trials, to stay abreast for changes in the
field of LFT. ■
This article is based on a presentation
given at the RP Asia 2004 Conferencei in
Bangkok, Thailand.
Dieffenbacher GmbH + Co KG; www.
dieffenbacher.de.
REINFORCEDplastics 33