Automotive
CCM pioneers systems-level design and high-throughput manufacturing of lightweight, multifunctional composites for automotive applications. Innovations in materials, simulation, and crash validation help OEMs meet fuel efficiency, safety, manufacturability, and sustainability goals, while ensuring compatibility with existing assembly lines and end-of-life material recovery.
Capabilities
- Crashworthiness and Structural Safety
Design and development of composite components meeting global safety standards with scalable manufacturing validation. - Lightweight Vehicle Components
Engineering of doors, closures, and assemblies to reduce weight and consolidate parts efficiently. - Composite-Intensive Vehicle Architectures
System-level solutions to reduce weight and emissions while supporting new vehicle platforms. - Multiphysics Simulation and Digital Validation
Predictive modeling tools for accelerated design, manufacturability, and environmental performance evaluation. - Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing
Use of recycled and bio-based composites combined with automated forming, bonding, and finishing processes.
Future Aspirations
- Next-Generation Lightweighting – Expand composite applications while maintaining global safety standards.
- Digital Design & Validation – Deploy multiphysics and AI-assisted simulation to accelerate qualification.
- Sustainable Vehicle Platforms – Increase use of recycled/bio-based feedstocks and circular manufacturing strategies.
- Scalable Manufacturing – Advance automation and high-throughput processes for industrial-scale adoption.
Why CCM for Automotive?
- Institutional Leadership – Expertise in high-performance and functional composites, crash validation, and sustainable design.
- Full-Spectrum Capabilities – Integrated research from lab-scale prototypes to full-scale crash testing.
- Industrial & Government Network – Partnerships with OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and agencies including DOE, NHTSA, and NCMS.
- Demonstrated Impact – Award-winning prototypes and validated technologies translate research into road-ready solutions.
Related Projects
Glider Project
The Glider Project focuses on developing a composite-intensive, multi-material body-in-white (BiW) that integrates fiber-reinforced polymers with metallic components to achieve structural performance at automotive production scales.
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B-Pillar Project
The B-Pillar project demonstrated the feasibility of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites in safety-critical automotive structures.
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DOE Door Project
This project evaluated thermoplastic composites for high-volume automotive closure systems, focusing on structural integration and manufacturability.
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