WEAV3D, Clemson Composites Center & Braskem Partnership won for Rebar for Plastics Lattice Technology
Braskem and WEAV3D Inc. announced Braskem’s and WEAV3D Inc.’s thermoplastic composite lattice technology, in partnership with the Clemson Composites Center at Clemson University, were named first place winners of the 2024 Altair Enlighten Award’s Future of Lightweighting category. The award recognized the partnerships’ cost-effective lightweight solution to enhance the performance of PP for structural automotive applications.
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.
The Altair Enlighten Award honors the greatest sustainability and lightweighting advancements that successfully reduce carbon footprint, mitigate water and energy consumption, and leverage material reuse and recycling efforts. The Enlighten Award showcases the latest and greatest technology innovations dedicated to sustainability and garners interest from industry, engineering, policymakers, educators, students, and the public alike. The Enlighten Award is presented annually in conjunction with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and was presented this year on August 6, 2024, at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars.
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
For more information on WEAV3D’s Rebar for Plastics® with Braskem’s PP, visit https://weav3d.com/cost-effective-automotive-body-structures.
WEAV3D Inc. is an innovator in composite materials, manufacturing processes and processing equipment. Headquartered in Norcross, GA, they originated as a technology startup within the Materials Science and Engineering department at the Georgia Institute of Technology. For more information about WEAV3D, visit weav3d.com.
One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University enrolls 27,341 students across the State of South Carolina and has an endowment of over $1 billion. The University operates Extension offices in every county of the state and has five Innovation Campuses and six Research and Education Center locations. For more information about Clemson University, visit clemsoncomposites.com.
With a global vision of the future oriented toward people and sustainability, Braskem is committed to contributing to the value chain for strengthening the Circular Economy. The petrochemical company’s almost 9,000 team members dedicate themselves every day to improving people’s lives through sustainable chemicals and plastics solutions. For more information about Braskem, visit braskem.com/usa.
