Braskem and WEAV3D® Announced as Finalists for JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2024
Cost-effective automotive door body structure demonstrator part made from Braskem polypropylene and WEAV3D lattice technology receives industry recognition for a novel approach.
Braskem and WEAV3D automotive component to showcase at the 2024 JEC World trade show in Paris, France, March 5-7, 2024.
Braskem ((BM&, FBOVESPA: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6, NYSE:BAK, LATIBEX: XBRK)), the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas as well as a market leader and pioneer producer of biopolymers on an industrial scale, in partnership with WEAV3D Inc., an advanced manufacturing and materials startup, today announced that their innovative automotive door component prototype was selected as one of three finalists in the Automotive and Road Transportation – Process category of the JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2024.
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Beltline Stiffener (Photo: Business Wire)
The combination of WEAV3D composite lattice reinforcement with Braskem PP enables lighter and less expensive thermoplastic solutions than conventional organosheet, unlocking new opportunities for the cost-effective replacement of sheet metal structures with thermoplastics throughout the vehicle.
"We continue to be very excited to offer our clients innovations and partnerships around high-performance polypropylene materials utilizing the WEAV3D lattice technology after launching this project in 2023. We are honored to be recognized as a finalist for the JEC World Innovation Awards. As the automotive industry continues to roll out new electric vehicle designs, it requires automakers to re-think the vehicle design with cutting-edge performance materials and consider more sustainable end-of-life solutions. The initial conversion process focus has been on thermoforming to leverage large parts production; however, the WEAV3D technology can also be applied to injection molding of more complex parts. With significant improvements in lightweighting, reduced costs, and higher material efficiency, combining Braskem's PP portfolio with WEAV3D composite lattices provides a ‘win-win' in terms of enhanced material performance and a more sustainable environmental impact, including the integration of natural fiber options," Amanda Zani, Technology Platform Manager, Braskem.
Benefits of using WEAV3D's Rebar for Plastics® and Braskem Polypropylene vs. conventional composite organosheet:
- LIGHTWEIGHT – Reduces sheet blank weight by ~50% and final part weight by ~23%
- COST EFFECTIVE – Reduces costs by ~50%
- EFFICIENT – Increases sheet yield from 25% to 45% by weight, resulting in a 62% reduction in trim waste
"WEAV3D and Braskem are demonstrating the significant potential of the WEAV3D lattice material with this automotive door prototype and we are thrilled to be selected a finalist by the Innovation Awards jury," says Chris Oberste, President of WEAV3D. "Thanks to the simulation workflow developed in collaboration with Altair Engineering, we were able to optimize the lattice structure for cost and performance, while still using the original organosheet tooling and forming process equipment at the Clemson Composites Center at Clemson University."
Winners of the JEC Composites Award 2024 will be announced during an online award ceremony on February 8, 2024, between 13:30 and 15:30 CET, accessible at www.jec-world.events. The Braskem-WEAV3D prototype part will also be on display in the JEC Innovation Planets section of JEC World, held in Paris, France from March 5-7, 2024. Visit WEAV3D's booth 6P32e in the American Pavilion to learn more about the prototype part.
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ABOUT JEC
JEC Group is a non-profit organization entirely dedicated to promoting composite materials and fostering their applications globally.
Publisher of the JEC Composites Magazine, the industry's reference magazine, JEC organizes several events around the world, including JEC World, the leading international exhibition dedicated to composites and their applications, which takes place annually in Paris. JEC media, events and digital channels connect a global community of professionals from the composites industry and beyond, to enable knowledge transfer, create networking opportunities, and highlight innovation. For more information visit: www.jeccomposites.com
ABOUT WEAV3D Inc.
Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Ga., WEAV3D is an innovator in composite materials, manufacturing processes, and processing equipment, having spun out of the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2017. WEAV3D's patented composite forming technology integrates weaving and composite consolidation into an automated, continuous process that reduces waste, cycle times and material handling costs. When combined with injection overmolding, thermocompression, or thermoforming, this novel Rebar of Plastics® approach improves part stiffness and strength while minimizing weight, enabling new innovations in the automotive and construction markets at a fraction of the cost and cycle time associated with traditional composite manufacturing. For more information, visit www.weav3d.com
ABOUT BRASKEM
With a strategy centered on people and sustainability, Braskem is engaged in contributing to the value chain to strengthen the Circular Economy. Braskem's almost 9,000 team members dedicate themselves every day to improving people's lives through sustainable solutions in chemicals and plastics. With its corporate DNA rooted in innovation, Braskem offers a comprehensive portfolio of plastic resins and chemical products for diverse industries, such as food packaging, construction, manufacturing, automotive, agribusiness, health, and hygiene, and more. With 40 industrial units in Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and Germany, Braskem exports its products to clients in over 70 countries.
Braskem America is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Braskem S.A. headquartered in Philadelphia. The company is the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, with five production plants located in Texas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, an Innovation and Technology Center in Pittsburgh, and a New Renewable Innovation Center in Boston focused on leveraging groundbreaking developments in biotechnology and advanced materials. For more information, visit www.braskem.com/usa.
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