Technical-Economic Feasibility Study of High Volume Production Process Applied to the Automotive Sector (Hot Pressing Molding) Using Prepreg Material (Solvalite™730)

Abstract

Different from the aeronautical industry, polymer composites application in the automotive industry requires high levels of productivity. In this work, was studied temperature factors, cycle time, and material cure degree of Solvalite 730. Subsequently, these parameters were used as an input variable to simulate the technical-economic feasibility in a high-speed manufacturing process and, in response, were measured the potential benefits of using them in a defined manufacturing process to be applied to the automotive industry. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) technique was used to assess the material's curing parameters. The lowest time found was 45,1 s at a temperature of 175 °C with potential energy cost reduction of up to 50% and productivity up to 332.020 parts per year. The best result was found with temperatures from 150 °C to 160 °C, cycle times ranging from 202.8 s and 101.8 s with a production capacity of 74,000 to 147,000 pieces per year. The raw material cost was dominant in the components cost composition. The maintenance expense was directly proportional to the productivity increase as well as the equipment depreciation as a function of the production rate.