Toyota Motor Corporation - Winner of the JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2024 - Category Automotive & Road Transportation – Parts

First impressions after the winners announcement, expectations for the future, developments to come, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Toyota Motor Corporation
Yoshihiro Iwano, Toyota Motor Corporation
and Isao Ohashi, TISM Co. Ltd were at the ceremony in Paris and took some time to answer our questions !

More about the project:

Monolithic CFRP-Aluminum Monocoque:
A Novel Approach for Carbon Neutrality
Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan)
tytlabs.co.jp
Partners:
• Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc (Japan)
• Toyota Customizing & Development Co., Ltd. (Japan)
• TISM Inc. (Japan)

A full-scale variable axial CFRP-aluminum semi-monocoque was designed, fabricated, and evaluated. It showed a 15% weight reduction with minimal fiber waste (4%) and assembly cost.

This technology aims to improve carbon neutrality through the effective use of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs).
The technology creates 3D monolithic CFRP-aluminum structures by integrating anisotropic topology optimization, Turing pattern fiber path generation, tailored fiber placement and nano uneven anodization bonding, to optimize fiber function and material utilization.
A semi-monocoque prototype demonstrates the potential for weight reduction in large 3D structures with complex topology using large fiber tow (50K) placed on 5 km of design paths with only 4% fiber waste.

Key benefits:
• Full-Lifecycle Carbon Neutrality
• Weight Reduction
• Minimized Fiber Waste and Assembly Cost
• Optimized Material Usage
• Advanced Manufacturing Process