Consumer chemicals producer Henkel (Düsseldorf / Germany; www.henkel.com) said a joint study conducted with RLE International (Cologne / Germany; www.rle.international) showed that fibre-reinforced polymer components with structural foam ribbing and reinforcements can save more than 40 kg of weight per car versus conventional all-metal designs. The study examined and validated the potential of high-performance structural foam for lightweighting in automotive body and closure parts.

Results of the study have confirmed that significant weight reductions can be achieved without compromising the safety in typical crash scenarios by optimising the stiffness of fibre-reinforced plastic frames or carriers with selective foam ribbing and reinforcements, with competitive costs. The hybrid parts feature a solid frame or carrier moulded in higher percent fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) and selective reinforcements using Henkel’s “Teroson EP” structural foam, a commercially available epoxy-based material that delivers high strength and stiffness at extremely low weight.