TPI Composites Inc. (Scottsdale, Ariz., U.S.) and Helicoid Industries (Indio, Calif., U.S.) have collaborated to design a bio-inspired lightweight electric vehicle (EV) underbody protection panel using Helicoid technology. The solution leverages digital engineering, unconventional layup scenarios, biomimicry, advanced multiaxial intelligent weaving and automated manufacturing to deliver a durable, low-cost, highly engineered automotive part for the commercial and consumer automotive markets.

This underbody protection panel will reportedly provide an alternative solution to current aluminum designs to protect high voltage battery packs from road debris. Combining the strength of both companies, this solution offers a low-cost product that is lower in weight, higher in load bearing capability, and more resilient in impacts and crash scenarios compared to aluminum designs.

Developed in a manufacturing cell at TPI’s Automotive Technology Center in Warren, Rhode Island, using the latest in automated ply cutting and robotic pick-and-place technologies, the process is said to be a seamless and cost-effective implementation of Helicoid architectures. A multiaxial noncrimp fabric (NCF) technology is used to strategically compose the full Helicoid stack in subunits. The stack layers are then robotically dosed and automatically placed and retrieved from a 2,500-ton press, resulting in high performance precision parts.

“TPI Automotive offers full-service development and production solutions for OEM next-generation vehicles with efficient designs, superior performance and outstanding quality,” Jerry Lavine, president, TPI Automotive, says. “We offer industrialization expertise for engineered solutions that are quick to market, and low investment for our customers’ demanding technical and commercial battery enclosure and structural applications. We are excited to work with Helicoid to provide this innovative solution.”

Learn more about the EV underbody panel here.