Daimler Announces Carbon joint venture for the new SL

Toray Industries and Daimler AG have announced that a joint venture company (head office: Esslingen, Germany) based on the production and marketing of automotive parts made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). The companies today signed the joint venture contract. As part of the development agreement that was signed in March last year, Toray is working on the development of optimal raw materials for production of carbon fibers and new design processes. Daimler takes over the responsibility for the design of components, the development of technologies to integrate these parts with a total vehicle and process automation. By connecting both sides of the distinctive competencies and strengths of both companies were able to develop a highly efficient process technology for mass production of carbon fiber parts, which will bring a much shorter design cycle.

The partners are planning the mass production of CFRP components to start with a short cycle resin injection process (Short Cycle Resin Transfer Molding, RTM) in 2012. It has developed is a new procedure for the design process, the Toray carbon fiber for cars made by Mercedes-Benz.
Lightweight design is an integral part of the strategy of Daimler on the road to sustainable mobility. The company has set the development target of reducing the Rohkarosseriegewichts to all Mercedes-Benz vehicles by up to 10 percent over previous models. Thus, the fuel efficiency improves further and the emissions are further reduced. To achieve this goal, Daimler focuses on the development of new technologies based on the basis of the principle of using the right material at the right place. The use of carbon fiber parts at scheduled bodies is an integral part of these lightweight strategy.

The use of carbon fiber is expected to serve as a key lever to achieve significant weight reductions in the vehicle body. This joint development of lightweight Toray and Daimler kannn future, weight gain due to additional safety or comfort features and alternative drive systems offset in part. In addition, CFRP parts contribute to an increased rigidity of the body, thereby improving stability of the passenger compartment is further increased. This will benefit the occupants in accidents at the same time this also increases the comfort and represents a positive contribution to the core brand values ​​of Mercedes-Benz. The two companies plan to further their joint activities in the development continues to maintain a manufacturing technology for mass production, which is also extremely attractive in terms of their cost effects. The joint venture will manufacture and market the carbon fiber and components, and so the introduction of carbon fiber composites in the automotive sector, particularly for use in series further advance far beyond today's applications (such as sports cars).

The first use is in the new Mercedes-Benz SL (R231; debut summer 2012) be. Later be followed by other series. The parts are then used where it makes most sense (smart materials).