Bonding lightweight metals to composite materials without using any adhesive.
SOLMAC stands for Structural Optimisation using Light Metals and Affordable Composites
The aim of the project was to take several materials and processes proven at a system level and in non-primary structures and apply them to the production of the primary body structure of a niche automotive OEM.
Mixed material vehicle chassis - glass fibre composite and aluminium
Powdertech Surface Science regularly participates in UK and EU funded collaborative research projects with industry partners, aimed at finding new and better solutions for industrial processes. This project, SOLMAC, funded by Innovate UK and the Niche Vehicle Network, presented the challenge to manufacture a mixed material chassis constructed from GF-PP composite and aluminium components. SOLMAC involved teams from Ariel Motors, Macneillie (Babcock), Stalcom and Powdertech Surface.
Traditional mechanical fixings compromised the properties of the composite material due to fibre breakage when preparing the fixing holes. Adhesive bonding was found to be both a time consuming labour intensive process and did not deliver the required level of bond strength, even after plasma treating the composite surface.
PowderBond
We developed ‘PowderBond’, an innovative process for bonding lightweight metals to composite materials without using any adhesive. SOLMAC resulted in the launch of the Ariel Hipercar in September 2017, constructed with a super-lightweight chassis formed from aluminium extrusions, aluminium sheet, woven glass fibres, and polypropylene bonded with the PowderBond system, a fast, clean method resulting in a stronger bond, higher than that achieved with adhesives. Following this proof of technology, we ‘soft-launched’ PowderBondPP with a press release.
In 2018 we added PowderBondPP to our website and started to present the system at industry conferences and to engaging commercial partners in further research. Specifically, novel combined pre-and post-assembly surface treatment of aluminium sheet and extruded beam sections were integrated with affordable thermoplastic panels.