CFRP-based Molding Technologies and Applications: Achieving Lightweight and High-Strength Products with CFRP

Introduction

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) is a lightweight, high-strength composite material widely utilized in the aerospace, automotive, and sporting goods industries, where achieving superior structural efficiency is essential. CFRP molded products are components or products manufactured from CFRP into specified geometries, in which mold design, and fabrication accuracy play a decisive role in determining the final product’s dimensional precision and overall performance. These components are particularly advantageous in applications requiring high-precision fabrication, weight reduction, and enhanced mechanical performance.

This section presents the fundamental characteristics, manufacturing processes, and key industrial applications of CFRP molded components and molding technologies.

Basic Structure of CFRP Molded Products

CFRP molded products are manufactured by combining carbon fibers—serving as the reinforcing phase—with a polymer resin matrix, typically epoxy resin. While manufacturing processes and resulting properties vary depending on product geometry and design requirements, the defining characteristic of CFRP molded products is their exceptional combination of low weight, high strength, and superior structural performance.

Features of CFRP Molded Products

High Strength and Rigidity

Carbon fiber reinforcement provides CFRP molded products with exceptionally high tensile strength and stiffness, enabling significant weight reductions in components that demand high tensile strength and improves resistance to mechanical stress and impact.

Lightweight

CFRP molded products are extremely lightweight. Compared with steel or aluminum, carbon fiber delivers comparable or superior strength at a fraction of the weight, making them well-suited to aircraft and automotive components, and other lightweight-critical applications.

Corrosion Resistance

CFRP molded products exhibit strong resistance to corrosion, compared to metal. This enables stable and long-term performance even in harsh environments, where components may be exposed to aggressive chemicals or excessive humidity.

High Design Versatility

Molding technologies provide a high degree of design versatility, enabling accurate reproduction of complex geometries and intricate details in CFRP design. The flexibility allows engineers more versatility in the design stage while ensuring that the final CFRP product meet intended dimensional and performance specifications.

CFRP Mold Manufacturing Methods

There are multiple processes for manufacturing CFRP molded products. The key manufacturing methods used are:

Autoclave Molding

Autoclave molding forms CFRP components under tightly controlled pressure and thermal conditions, yielding excellent dimensional accuracy, uniformity, structural quality. These advantages make it the preferred method for aerospace and automotive applications.

– Features: High precision, high strength, and uniform molding

– Applications: Aircraft and automotive components.

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Molding

In RTM molding, carbon fiber filaments are placed in a metal mold and resin is injected into the mold. This process can offer lower production costs, but yields slightly lower accuracy and mechanical strength compared to autoclave.

– Features: Low production cost, relatively fast production

– Applications: Sporting equipment, construction and building materials.

Hand Lay-up (Stack) Molding

Hand lay-up molding involves manually stacking carbon fiber into a stack, which is then impregnated with resin. This method well-suited for small-lot production and prototyping, but not for mass production.

– Features: Allows fine adjustments by hand, for custom designs or small-lot productions

– Applications: Prototypes, customized products

Prepreg Molding

Prepreg molding uses carbon fiber sheets which are pre-impregnated with resin. This method enables highly efficient production with excellent consistency for high-precision products.

– Features: High precision, stable and efficient production

– Applications: Aircraft components, sporting equipment

CFRP Mold Applications

CFRP molding is ideal for manufacturing products that require light weight and high structural strength. Key applications include:

Aerospace Industry

Advanced CFRP molding processes are utilized in aircraft structural components such as wings, fuselage sections, and interior elements due to its superior strength-to-weight ratio and capacity for improved aircraft efficiency and performance.

Automotive Industry

In automotives, CFRP molding technologies are employed for CFRP automobile body panels and components for chassis and racing car parts. They support substantial weight reductions and contribute to improved fuel efficiency, acceleration, aerodynamic performance.

Sporting Equipment

High-performance sporting equipment—such as bicycle frames, golf clubs, and ski boards—increasing incorporated CFRP molded components, where the lightweight and high strength combination helps to maximize athletic performance.

Construction and Building Materials

CFRP-based molding technologies are utilized to produce reinforcement components that enhance structural durability and seismic resistance.

Summary

CFRP molded products are composite structures that simultaneously achieve weight and superior mechanical strength, leading to its widespread adoptions across industries such as aerospace, automotive, and sporting equipment. The use of CFRP molded products is expected to broaden even further as manufacturing methods and technologies that combine precision and efficiency continue to advance. Careful material selection at the design stage is critical to ensuring top performing products with the best operational outcomes.

UCHIDA's equipment

We have cutting-edge equipment to ensure that we can address even the most advanced challenges of our customers.

DMG森精機 - VS1000/40/2050
X軸：2,050mm（ストローク） ／ Y軸：1,000mm ／ Z軸：600mm ／ テーブル作業面：2,250×1,000mm

ASHIDA MFG Co., Ltd.
Autoclave Oven 2
Size : Ø1,150x1,000mm / Operating temperature : at normal temperature - 400℃ / Design pressure : 2.0Mpa (maximum working pressure) / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 5

ASHIDA MFG Co., Ltd.
Autoclave Oven 3
Size : Ø3,000x6,000mm / Operating temperature : at normal temperature - 200℃ / Distribution accuracy : ±2.5℃less / Heating rate : 4.0℃/min. (empty furnace) / Cooling rate : 4.0℃/min. (empty furnace) / Design pressure : 0.99Mpa (maximum working pressure) / Working pressure : 0.7Mpa less (if no specification from the manufacuturer 0.3Mpa around) / Pressure accuracy : ±0.02Mpa（for pressure setting of ０ - 0.99Mpa/cm²） / Boost pressure accuracy : 0 - 0.03Mpa/min / Pressure source : compressed air (regular use) / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 10

Oven
Size : W1,000xH1,000xD1,000mm / Temperature range : Environmental Temperature +20 - 300℃ / Temperature elevation capability : Environmental Temperature (20 - 40℃) - 300℃ / 45min less / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 10

ESPEC CORP.
Temperature & Humidity Chamber

INSTRON
Static Universal Testing Machine 5985

Oven
Size : W7,000xH3,000xD2,000mm / Temperature range : Environmental Temperature +20 - 300℃ (Max) / Temperature elevation capability : Environmental Temperature (20 - 40℃) - 300℃ / 60min less / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 10

NEO
X axis : 4,000mm (stroke) / Y axis : 2,000mm / Z axis : 1,200mm / C axis : 0° - ±270° / B axis : 0° - ±110° / Table working place : 4,000x2,000mm

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Painting booth
Various painting, and clear finish is done in dedicated painting booth

Adhesion, Finishing, Coating Room
Finishing process, such as trimming, drilling, and bonding, surface treatment of the molded product type and is done in a private booth

Toshiba Matrixeye EX (Ultrasonic flaw detector)
Matrix-Arrey : 32

AMETEK CREAFORM Metra
SCAN750 Elite (3D scan)

Olympus Corp.
Inverted Microscopes

Oven
Size : W450xH450xD450mm / Temperature range : Environmental Temperature +20 - 650℃ / Temperature elevation capability : Environmental Temperature+50 - 650℃/120min less

Cutting Plotter Table working place : W1,500xL3,500mm

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD
Cutting Plotter

KUKA
Robot

Krauss Maffei
Epoxy resin injection machine Resin 60L ／ Hardener 25L

Krauss Maffei
630t Press machine Height total 5,200mm ／ Length max 1,500mm ／ Width max 1,200mm ／ Whole cycle time per component part 240sec

DMG森精機 - NV5000B/40
X軸：1,020mm（ストローク） ／ Y軸：510mm ／ Z軸：510mm ／ テーブル作業面：1,320×600mm

Big sized clean room
JIS B 9920 cleanliness class maximum concentration (Pcs/m³） / Class 5 : 100,000m³ / Capacity : m² (16,000x16,000mm) 760m² (16,000x16,000x3,000mm) / Temperature and humidity condition : Temperature : 23℃±3℃, Humidity 65% less / Ambient conditions : Temperature 35℃ during summer, Humidity 70% less / Ambient conditions : Temperature 35℃ during summer, Humidity 70% less / Temperature -5℃ during winter, Humidity 40% less

CAD / CAM
CATIA V5 : 2 / THINK DESIGN : 1 / MASTER CAM : 4 / Other 3D/CAD : 3 / Other 2D/CAD : 5

Markforged - 3D Printer

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