Next Lambo to feature Carbon Fiber Engine Parts
07-13-16, 01:50 PM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Next Lambo to feature Carbon Fiber Engine Parts
Carbon fiber body panels, seats, wings and even wheels are not unheard of, but now Lamborghini wants to use the lightweight material to make internal engine components.
Speaking with Automotive News, Lambo CEO Maurizio Reggiani admitted that the Italian supercar maker is developing carbon fiber connecting rods for the next-generation Aventador. “I [hope] that in one, one-and-a-half years, we are able to finish development and say this can be a part that can be in the future in the engine,” said Reggiani. “I hope that we are able to have something in production soon.” Carbon fiber is certainly not foreign to Lamborghini, which has built the body of cars like the Centenario (picture above) nearly entirely from the material.
These new lightweight connecting rods are 40 to 50 percent lighter than the current steel units, allowing the engine to get more of its power down to the wheels improving acceleration. The successor to the Aventador is expected to arrive in 2020 as a 2021 model.
Lamborghini’s new Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory located in Seattle, Wash. will produce the new parts using forged composite, a method that is much faster than traditional carbon fiber forming. Rather than laying the cabon-fiber cloth in a mold and baking it or injecting resin into the mold at high pressure, Lambo’s method takes premixed carbon fibers and resin and presses it into a mold with massive force and heat, needing only three minutes to prepare a piece for finishing, compared to the hours the other methods take.
Seattle was chosen the facility as Lambo has a partnership with Boeing, working towards carbon fiber innovations that benefit both automatic and aerospace.
Speaking with Automotive News, Lambo CEO Maurizio Reggiani admitted that the Italian supercar maker is developing carbon fiber connecting rods for the next-generation Aventador. “I [hope] that in one, one-and-a-half years, we are able to finish development and say this can be a part that can be in the future in the engine,” said Reggiani. “I hope that we are able to have something in production soon.” Carbon fiber is certainly not foreign to Lamborghini, which has built the body of cars like the Centenario (picture above) nearly entirely from the material.
These new lightweight connecting rods are 40 to 50 percent lighter than the current steel units, allowing the engine to get more of its power down to the wheels improving acceleration. The successor to the Aventador is expected to arrive in 2020 as a 2021 model.
Lamborghini’s new Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory located in Seattle, Wash. will produce the new parts using forged composite, a method that is much faster than traditional carbon fiber forming. Rather than laying the cabon-fiber cloth in a mold and baking it or injecting resin into the mold at high pressure, Lambo’s method takes premixed carbon fibers and resin and presses it into a mold with massive force and heat, needing only three minutes to prepare a piece for finishing, compared to the hours the other methods take.
Seattle was chosen the facility as Lambo has a partnership with Boeing, working towards carbon fiber innovations that benefit both automatic and aerospace.
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ting-rods.html
07-13-16, 02:34 PM
#2
These new lightweight connecting rods are 40 to 50 percent lighter than the current steel units, allowing the engine to get more of its power down to the wheels improving acceleration. The successor to the Aventador is expected to arrive in 2020 as a 2021 model.
Lamborghini’s new Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory located in Seattle, Wash. will produce the new parts using forged composite, a method that is much faster than traditional carbon fiber forming. Rather than laying the cabon-fiber cloth in a mold and baking it or injecting resin into the mold at high pressure, Lambo’s method takes premixed carbon fibers and resin and presses it into a mold with massive force and heat, needing only three minutes to prepare a piece for finishing, compared to the hours the other methods take.
Lamborghini’s new Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory located in Seattle, Wash. will produce the new parts using forged composite, a method that is much faster than traditional carbon fiber forming. Rather than laying the cabon-fiber cloth in a mold and baking it or injecting resin into the mold at high pressure, Lambo’s method takes premixed carbon fibers and resin and presses it into a mold with massive force and heat, needing only three minutes to prepare a piece for finishing, compared to the hours the other methods take.
07-13-16, 02:40 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Let's hope that Lambo has better success with this project than Ford did several decades ago with its plastic-engine project (which was really a plastic block and minor hardware, with many of the main moving parts remaining as metal). That project was not considered a success, and was never actually used in a production vehicle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_automotive_engine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_automotive_engine
07-13-16, 07:05 PM
#4
1982 was the stone age marshall. Composites have come a long way, although I didn't think carbon fiber would hold up with the heat inside an engine. But then again what do I know.
It will be interesting to see if Formula 1 uses this first or if production car tech is outpacing racing tech because of stifling spec rules.
It will be interesting to see if Formula 1 uses this first or if production car tech is outpacing racing tech because of stifling spec rules.
07-13-16, 07:45 PM
#5
Lexus Champion
Seattle was chosen the facility as Lambo has a partnership with Boeing, working towards carbon fiber innovations that benefit both automatic and aerospace.
1982 was the stone age marshall. Composites have come a long way, although I didn't think carbon fiber would hold up with the heat inside an engine. But then again what do I know.
It will be interesting to see if Formula 1 uses this first or if production car tech is outpacing racing tech because of stifling spec rules.
It will be interesting to see if Formula 1 uses this first or if production car tech is outpacing racing tech because of stifling spec rules.
07-13-16, 08:03 PM
#6
This is supposedly similar carbon fiber technology used by Boeing on the 787 Dreamliner.
Lamborghini is only talking about using composite connecting rods, not a part exposed to high-stress or high-heat. Ford's plastic 2.3-litre Pinto engine also used non-metal (plastic) connecting rods.
Lamborghini is only talking about using composite connecting rods, not a part exposed to high-stress or high-heat. Ford's plastic 2.3-litre Pinto engine also used non-metal (plastic) connecting rods.
As far as the connecting rod being a low stressed part of the engine, are you serious??? Ever seen a connecting rod fail, shear right in half, or bend??? There is a reason they use forged steel rods in high performance engines.
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07-15-16, 03:57 AM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
I'd expect F1 to use composite materials in engines, especially as they're moving away from toxic metals like beryllium. Not sure about making conrods from carbon fiber though... CF tends to shatter into small sharp bits, not something you want in a big high-revving engine.
07-15-16, 05:07 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
One idea that the auto manufacturers don't seem to have caught onto yet (if it is possible) is the use of ceramic engine parts. Ceramics can withstand enormous amounts of heat without warping, stressing, or being damaged. That is why some high-performance cars have converted to ceramic brake rotors, at least as an option (I think Porsche was the first manufacturer to do so).........they don't warp or get out of round and vibrate with repeated heat-build-up like traditional steel rotors do.
07-15-16, 04:08 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
Ceramics have only a limited number of uses because of its properties. Ceramics perform well in compression but poorly in tension, so they can be used in brakes and perhaps as the piston face (though if you want anything other than a flat piston face, that may be difficult). But you would not be able to make a ceramic connecting rod.
Yes, carbon fiber does shatter into small, sharp fragments but I wonder if that is because of how CF components have been manufactured. CF components have traditionally been manufactured by carefully aligning the fibers as the sheets are applied; this is how they built up the strength of the component.
But this forging process does not care about aligning fibers; it seems to rely on the intensive force and heat to add strength to the component. If fibers are not aligned, there may be less risk of shattering into small, sharp pieces.
Yes, carbon fiber does shatter into small, sharp fragments but I wonder if that is because of how CF components have been manufactured. CF components have traditionally been manufactured by carefully aligning the fibers as the sheets are applied; this is how they built up the strength of the component.
But this forging process does not care about aligning fibers; it seems to rely on the intensive force and heat to add strength to the component. If fibers are not aligned, there may be less risk of shattering into small, sharp pieces.
07-16-16, 11:28 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
They need a hybrid if they are going to keep up. McLaren has knocked them off as one of the premiere manufacturers. They are getting a bit stale.
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