Automotive OEMs, Tier One molders, and suppliers of materials, machines and tooling assembled Sept. 16-18 for the 8th annual Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition, presented jointly by the Automotive and Composites divisions of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). Held at Michigan State University's (MSU) Management Education Center (Troy, Mich.), the conference, drew nearly 400 participants from North America, Europe and Asia. More than 60 technical papers and nine keynote speeches were presented, complemented by a government-industry panel session and approximately 25 exhibitors.

Reflecting the increasing volatility of oil prices and high fuel prices worldwide, many speakers addressed how composites might play a role in increasing fuel economy and meeting the recently mandated increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ), with a goal of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Opening keynoter Joe Carpenter, of the U.S. Department of Energy, made a compelling case for the existence of sufficient energy sources worldwide to fuel vehicles for hundreds of years. On a cost-adjusted basis, over the long haul, fuel prices have declined historically, although we are currently experiencing a spike with the possibility it might be sustained for some time. However, increasing fuel economy is a necessary requirement for sustainability, and composites will have to earn their way onto vehicles, as both steel and aluminum have made and continue to make formidable advances in lowering vehicle weight.

Dave Warren of Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL, Oak Ridge, Tenn.) provided an update on the progress being made there to convert lower cost PAN fiber (less costly than industrial PAN used today to make commercial-grade carbon fiber) into useful carbon fibers, noting that several companies are in discussion with Oak Ridge to license the technology and enter commercial production. The target price is in the $5/lb to $7/lb ($11/kg to $15.40/kg).

Matt Tsien of General Motors (Flint, Mich.) emphasized that GM continues to actively pursue development of carbon fiber components, including the introduction of the carbon-intensive Corvette ZR1, now entering production. GM has a goal to convert all applications to industrial grade fibers in the next several years, from approximately 70 percent today, and eventually to reduce material costs 30 to 40 percent.

Koji Yamaguchi presented Toray Industries' (Tokyo, Japan) plans to open a new automotive development center in Nagoya in October 2008, and actively promote a new multipoint injection RTM process purportedly able to deliver structural carbon fiber parts in 10 minutes or less. The development is the outcome of a government/industry partnership in Japan from 2003 to 2008.

Government/industry cooperation was the theme of a lively panel discussion that included representatives from DoE, ORNL, GM, Ford Motor, Meridian Automotive Systems (Allen Park, Mich.) and SABIC Innovative Plastics (Pittsfield, Mass.). DoE's Carpenter clearly stated that the new CAFÉ regulations will have to be legally met by 2020, a position backed up by GM's John Snider and Ford's Dave Wagner. ORNL's Warren pointed to the success the metals industries have had in the Steel-Auto Partnership and Aluminum-Auto Partnership efforts, and said the composites industry needs to coalesce to achieve a similar outcome. He noted that DoE lightweighting projects are derived from discussions between DoE and the OEMs, and acknowledged that the supplier community should be given a larger opportunity to participate in this process. All panelists noted that composites do have a role to play, but are only part of the overall mix in improving fuel economy and lowering emissions.