Lightweight | Finnish composite manufacturers will provide lightweight composite profiles for Chinese bus manufacturers
2024/03/25
Finnish Composites manufacturer Exel Composites has signed a new agreement with Chinese automotive manufacturer Foton Bus Co., Ltd. to supply pultruded glass fiber composite profiles.
Under the agreement, fiberglass profiles will be produced locally in China. Since the composite is corrosion-resistant and lightweight, this will reduce the maintenance requirements and weight of the vehicle. In addition, the flexibility of composite materials in geometric design offers greater possibilities for structural engineering than traditional metals such as steel and aluminum.
Foton Bus Company, a subsidiary of China BAIC Group, produces a range of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses, vans and construction vehicles. In line with industry trends, Foton has shifted its focus to the manufacturing of electric and hydrogen vehicles, especially in the field of buses and buses.
Exel Composites will produce a range of structural composite profiles for use in a number of different models of buses. The profiles, which include fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) side panels, skirt panels and a false roof, are manufactured using fiberglass composite pultrusion technology. Compared to traditional aluminum profiles, these profiles have higher tensile strength and durability, while reducing density by 30%.
Kathy Wang, executive vice president, Industrial Solutions Business Unit, Exel Composites, said: "After decades of refinement of the pultrude production process, they can produce complex geometric profiles that are as strong as traditional aluminum while weighing much less." At the same time, the finished profile has a smooth surface and requires no further processing."
"Also, unlike aluminum profiles, which are limited to 0.3 meters in width and require multiple connectors to fit larger panels, their composite profiles can be up to 1.2 meters wide and 12 meters long. This ensures the integrity and robustness of the structure."
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Nanjing Jufa New Material Co., Ltd.
E-mail：yuan.cheng@jufa-composite.com
Add：Building A, Chuangzhi Industrial Park, No. 37 Shenzhou Road, Lukou Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, China
Web：www.jufa-composite.com
