CFRP’s Potential

Contents

Leveraging CFRP in Diverse Fields
CFRP Characteristics

Leveraging CFRP in Diverse Fields

Expanding the CFRP Market　
The distinctive “lightweight, strong, and non-corrosive” characteristics of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) have made it one of the most progressive and promising materials today, leading to vast application in diverse fields. With anticipated rapid market expansions one can expect to see and experience CFRP in an even wider variety of situations. That said, issues surrounding productivity and manufacturing cost-efficiency still need to be addressed.

Leveraging CFRP in Automobiles

Demand for fuel-efficiency and clean energy products has gained traction in the automobile industry as global awareness of SDGs and environmental issues heighten. The expectations for CFRP and its weight-reducing potential has been further augmented by the proliferation of electric vehicles, which demand lighter bodies to mitigate the heavier battery packs (used in place of fuel tanks).

Automobile Components Envisioned for CFRP Replacement
Exterior components (hood, roof, trunk, doors, fenders, bumpers)

Instrument Panel (IP) components

Structural components (chassis, frame, wheels)

Hydrogen tanks

Enhancing Fuel Efficiency with Weight Reductions

In the automobile industry, CFRP components are frequently employed in supercars and luxury high-end vehicles. For general-purpose vehicles, while CFRP is gaining traction and being adopted for optional parts, expansion is still limited by productivity and manufacturing costs. The good news is that it’s potential to enhance fuel-efficiency, and thereby reduce carbon emissions (due to its lightweight properties), has fast-tracked developments in CFRP production.

In the aircraft industry, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) accounts for approximately 50% of the Boeing 787’s body (fuselage) weight, improving fuel efficiency and thereby increasing the cruising distance and speed capacity. We expect to see a further drop in CFRP costs, opening avenues for widespread use in general-purpose vehicles and new mobility applications such as eVTOL and flying vehicles.

Fields Where CFRP is being Leveraged

Motorbikes: Exterior components, structural components, helmets

Automobile: Exterior components (hood, roof, trunk, doors, fenders, bumpers), IP components, Structural Components (chassis, frame, wheels), hydrogen tanks

Aircraft: Exterior structural components, interior components

Space: Rockets, satellites

Defense: Structural components

Medical: X-ray CT beds

Welfare: Orthotics, wheelchairs, crutches

Art: Artistic productions

Sports: Golf club shafts, fishing rods, tennis rackets, bicycles, baseball bats

Construction: Concrete reinforcement, seismic reinforcement

Wind power generation: Large blades

Robots: Robot arms for transporting products

CFRP Characteristics

Low Specific Gravity

CFRP has a specific gravity of 1.5–1.7g/cm³

Anisotropic Material

CFRP is an anisotropic material, meaning that its properties—strength, performance, flexibility—are determined and can be customized by varying the fiber orientation, type, and volume.

Superb Strength and Elasticity

CFRP has a wide tensile strength range of 3000-7000 MPa and tensile modulus range of 50-900 GPa, depending on the fiber used. CFRP offers superior flexibility for custom designing according to needs and applications. This is one of its main characteristics.

Other

Dimensional stability, non-corrosive, vibration damping, fatigue properties, X-ray transmission properties, and high thermal conductivity.

What is CFRP?

ABOUT UCHIDA - 55 years since our founding

We leverage a wealth of technical expertise as a CFRP molding and processing manufacturer using FRP, GFRP, and CFRP materials. We offer a one-stop solution, encompassing design, analysis, manufacturing, secondary processing, assembly, painting, quality assurance, and testing.

See Details

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

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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

【開発】
3Dプリンター | Markforged

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