The semester is finally over and another class walked across the stage this past weekend. It was a wonderful ceremony and yet another reminder of how close I am to graduating again. Moments like those really motivate me to finish my graduate research with an impact and to be able to leave a something behind here at NC State.As many students or new alums are starting their new jobs/internships or simply taking time off to soak up freedom before they take on the real world, I find myself wrapping my mind around time lines and reestablishing myself with CAD software. One of the keys to success I have learned in my time at NCSU is the importance of time management and old fashioned determination. Great ideas are merely paperweights unless properly put into action.
Now, on with the post: I have been very interested in the demand in the automotive market for composite materials. Along with what companies are doing to appease this demand.
BMW is known for creating excellent driving machines, connecting with the emotion of driving and offering reliability in beautifully designed automobiles. Through the past decade or so, it has been seen that BMW is trying to flex their designing muscles by breaking into different markets, filling in gaps in their lineup. The current BMW lineup includes the 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7-series along with the X3, X5 and X6, not to mention the Z4 and the entire performance-based M class. Needless to say, BMW has their hands full and judging from their Efficient Dynamics concept, their future looks very busy.The specific reason for my interest in BMW recently is the partnership they have created with the SGL Group in October of 2009. SGL Group is one of the world's leaders in carbon products ranging from graphite materials to carbon fibers and composites. This partnership will create a $100 million carbon fiber plant in the state of Washington. There hasn't been any word on the exact date of the opening of the plant but it has been said that the facility will be utilizing hydroelectric power to turn out carbon fiber-reinforced plastics for BMW's upcoming MegaCity car, due out in 2013. The MegaCity concept is based off of BMW's electric vehicle movement. BMW currently has the Mini E, which utilizes an all-electric 204 horsepower motor in the Mini platform. They have launched the Mini E in several test markets to study the market reaction. The Mini platform was used for its already low weight, allowing time for BMW to
develop affordable light weight composites to create larger passenger vehicles.Light weight composites are necessary in electric vehicles to counteract the high weight of the battery systems required for the power train. BMW is said to further develop this electric drive train and utilize it in upcoming vehicles such as the ActiveE (based on the 1-series, pictured) and the MegaCity.
Carbon fiber automobiles are usually only seen on racetracks or in the garages of people who are too powerful to wash their own cars. However, BMW says that the MegaCity vehicle will be the first mass-produced vehicle which relies heavily on carbon fiber for the structure. This coalition between BMW and the SGL Group might be strictly for the MegaCity concept currently, however, the MegaCity design and development will open doors in the future for further composite developments within BMW. I believe the downfall of the electric vehicle is the fact that there haven't been any truly exciting electric vehicles and I hope that BMW can pull through with producing one that can break the mold.
This relationship between BMW and the SGL Group has the ability to show automotive manufacturers across the board the importance of composites for production vehicles.
For more information on the MegaCity click here. (Don't worry, the picture in the link is not the MegaCity).
More on my thesis research to come!
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