Lightweighting

Carbon fiber has a specific gravity of about one-quarter that of iron, yet boasts a specific strength that is more than 10 times greater. This allows the vehicle to be significantly lighter. The processing technology of carbon fiber composite materials is constantly evolving in a variety of ways to suit the application.

Toray's PPS resin "TORELINA™" is a thermoplastic super-engineering plastic with excellent heat resistance, dimensional stability and chemical resistance. By replacing metal parts such as cooling modules around the engine and ignition coils with "TORELINA™", it is possible to significantly reduce the weight of the vehicle. It can also be used as an insulating material for electric vehicles.

Toray's nylon resin AMILAN™ is an engineering plastic that has excellent toughness, heat resistance and oil resistance. For example, replacing an aluminum intake manifold with nylon resin can reduce the weight by approximately 50%.

Toray's carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin, TORAYCA™, combines excellent lightweight properties with strength and rigidity, dimensional accuracy, sliding performance, and EMI shielding. Depending on the application, a wide range of base resins is available, including PC, ABS, nylon, PBT, and PPS.

Toray's Toraypearl™ PA6 Nylon 6 Fine Particles for 3D Printers are ideal for initial prototyping of the conversion to resin of ICE-related components (such as intake manifolds, oil strainers, etc.), enabling shorter delivery times and reducing costs.