FUTURE BODY MATERIALS FOR CARS

Manish Kumar
Sr. Analyst, PatInt Solutions, New Delhi, India
Phone/fax: +91-11-26465762
E-mail: manish@patint.co.in

Introduction

This article explores finding of future car body materials which will be 100% recyclable
that is environmentally safe, cheap and strong to pause-up the head on impact. The
finding of futuristic car body materials is all done through the TRIZ’s innovative tools.

The objective of the article is to find out possible car body materials and also to show the
technology their competitors and the patenting activities in this area. The article divided
into six stages. In the first stage, we introduce about the actual problem associated with
car body. Secondly, we introduce TRIZ tool to find out the TRIZ standard problem by
comparing the actual or general problem which has been found out in first stage. In third,
we have gathered the facts related with TRIZ standard problems by using various sources
such as uspto, epo and wipo.After that in fourth stage we have identified the materials
which could solve the problem defined in stage one. In the fifth stage we have suggested
some hypothetical solution for the futuristic car relating their body materials and different
kind of fuels. In the last stage we summarized the whole process of idea development.

Topic Title: FUTURE BODY MATERIALS FOR CARS

Purpose of the Topic To make car more environmentally safe, cost effective &
strong by identifying new futuristic materials other than
base material (Steel and Aluminum) which is currently in
use.

Hypothesis for Topic To achieve 100% recyclable car body material.

(EU legislation by 2015).
METHOD OF IDEA DEVELOPMENT

The ideas were developed and processed as follows:

Stage-I Problem Identification (general problems regarding Car Body material)

Stage-II Compilation of Problem (through TRIZ 1 to get standard TRIZ problems

and solutions regarding car body materials)

Stage-III Information gathering (Technology / Patent Identification through Patent

documents, scientific literature and other available documents.)

 Patent / Technology gathering

 CTI 2 Landscape

Stage-IV Material Identification (from Identified Technologies / Patent domains)

 Patent / Technology gathering.

 CTI Landscape

Stage-V Idea Exploration

Stage-VI Summary.

References

Note: 1 - TRIZ is a methodology, tool set, knowledge base, and model-based

technology for generating innovative ideas and solutions for problem
solving. TRIZ provides tools and methods for use in problem formulation,
system analysis, failure analysis, and patterns of system evolution (both
'as-is' and 'could be').

2 – CTI: Competitive Technology Intelligence

Stage-I

Problem Identification (general problems regarding Car Body material and car fuel)

Problems:

a. Identification of materials which are light weight and rigid

b. Identification of materials which are compatible with corrosive fuel. It also reduces
inflammability.

c. Identification of materials which are rigid and can absorb crush impact as well.

d. Identification of materials which are environmentally safe and cheaper.

Keyword Generated from above problems:

a. Light Weight but Rigid

b. Compatible with Corrosive fuel but reduce inflammability

c. Environmentally safe but cheaper

d. Rigid but absorb Crush impact

Stage-II
Compilation of Problem (through TRIZ 1 to get standard TRIZ problems regarding
car body materials)

Followings are findings by applying TRIZ’s Tools

(1) Improvement Strength

Contradiction Weight of moving body

(2) Improvement Stability of the Object

Contradiction Object affecting harmful

(3) Improvement Stress or pressure

Contradiction Object generated harmful

Stage-III
Information gathering (Technology / Patent Identification through Patent
documents, scientific literature and other available documents by applying
TRIZ)

FOLLOWING TECHNOLOGIES / PATENTS ARE IDENTIFIED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

1. CRASH BOX FOR ABSORBING IMPACT ENERGY IN E.G. CAR, HAS SHEATH COMPOSED OF FIBER
REINFORCED PLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND RESTING ON OUTER PART OF DEFORMATION SECTION,
WHERE SHEATH HAS END ARRANGED SO AS TO BE ROLLED ON PLATE DURING IMPACT

2. PRESSURIZED FLUID TANK, IN PARTICULAR FOR COMPRESSED GAS

USED IN CAR
3. COMPOSITE MATERIAL FOR E.G. CAR BODY ASSEMBLY, HAS LAYER COMPOSITION WITH TWO LAYERS
HAVING PARTIAL STRUCTURES, WHERE MATERIAL HAS ACTUATOR WITH WHOSE EXCITATION MATERIAL
CHANGES FROM ONE STABLE FORM TO ANOTHER STABLE FORM

4. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE PROTECTION FROM

CORROSION OF RESISTANCE-WELDED SHEET METAL COVERED WITH
NON-METALLIC LAYERS, ON THE BLANK AREAS THEREOF

5. CAR FRAME FEATURING RTM-TECHNOLOGY MODULES OF COMPOSITE

MATERIAL

6. STAINLESS STEEL POWDER COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND ITS WARM-PRESSING METHOD

7. METHOD FOR PREPARING COMPOSITE MATERIAL IN USE FOR CAR BODY CASE

8. COMPOSITE LAYER COATING FILM FORMING METHOD AND COATED

ARTICLE

9. COMPOSITE CAR BODY PART

10. COMPOSITE MEMBER HAVING NOISE PREVENTING CAPACITY AND

IMPACT ABSORBING CAPACITY

11. HONEYCOMB CORE VACUUM COMPOSITE PLATE AND ITS PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT

12. COMPOSITE MATERIAL, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD AND

CONSTRUCTION THEREOF

13. METHOD FOR SHAPING AN ELEMENT FROM SYNTHETIC COMPOSITE MATERIAL FOR A CAR BODY

14. GASEOUS HYDROCARBON ADSORBING AGENT CONSISTING OF

MESOPOROUS BODY

15. MOLDING PRODUCT OF FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE MATERIAL

16. FRONT HEAD STRUCTURE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL STRUCTURAL

BODY FOR HEAD VEHICLE

17. MAGNETIC COMPOSITE BODY WITH FERROMAGNETIC SECTION AND WEAK OR NON-MAGNETIC SECTION
E.G. FOR CAR FUEL OR OIL CONTROL DEVICE

18. PRESS FOR FIBRE AND PLASTIC COMPOSITES E.G. FOR CAR BODY PANELS

19. COMPOSITE SUPPORT SHEET METAL COMPONENT FOR CAR BODY LID

20. BODY STRUCTURE OF ROLLING STOCK

21. HIGH IMPACT RESISTANCE HARD POLYVINYL CHLORIDE MOLDING COMPOUNDS AND APPLICATION
THEREOF

22. METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DOUBLE WALL CAR BODY PART WITH AN INSULATING LAYER.

23. ORGANIC MATTER COATED ALUMINUM MATERIAL EXCELLENT IN

AFTER-PROCESSING CORROSION RESISTANCE

24. DAMPING RESIN COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND DAMPING LAMINATED

BODY FORMED OF THE MATERIAL

25. COMPOSITE SHEET FOR AUTOMOTIVE USE

26. COMPOSITE MATERIALS COMPRISING A REINFORCING MATERIAL AND A SILICATE MATRIX.

27. STRUCTURE FOR JOINING STRUCTURE BODY OF VEHICLE

28. MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITE BRAID FOR CAR BODY TRIM

29. INTEGRAL CAR BODY MADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL

30. COMPOSITE INTEGRAL CAR BODY

31. CAR BODY OUTER PLATE MEMBER CONSISTING OF COMPOSITE FIBER

MATERIAL FOR AUTOMOBILE AND ITS MANUFACTURE

32. SELF-SUPPORTING ROOF PANEL OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE

33. COMPOSITE ARTICLES OF ALUMINIU-BASED ALLOYS

Stage-IV

Material Identification (Through Identified Technologies / Patent domains)

Followings are the materials which can be used for car body

a. Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

b. Biomaterials (Natural Fibers, Cellulose Plastics and Metal Composites)

 c. Reinforced Plastics (Hybrid Composite, MOFs +Fibers)

d. Ceramics (Composites)
FUELS
Gas Fuel Liquid/Gel Fuel Solid Fuel
(e.g. Hydrogen, (Electrical/Thermal)
Methane)
Body Materials

1 Metal Organic
Frameworks WO2007111739 EP1896718 KR20050019055
(MOFs) JP2007196545
DE10249332

2 Ceramics JP3213653
(Composite SE526471 WO03090929
materials based KR200165738 JP57038919
on Ceramics) DE10222008
JP3089973

3 Bio-Materials
and Aluminum DE102007058120
alloys US2004183055
(Natural Fibers, KR20040064386
Cellulosic
Plastics, )

4 Reinforced DE102006040748
Plastics (Hybrid DE102006027578 US2008087869 JP2008066273
Composite)
(MOFs+Fiber)


PATENT LANDSCAPE:- (CTI - Landscape)

Following are the Technologies (Based on Application for Car Body Material) and their
Patent landscape:

• ORGANO-METALLIC with Fibrous goods.

• ORGANO-METALLIC additive for plastics.

• Ceramics- composite materials.

• Metal-Fibrous Composite/
• Metallic-Honeycomb

• Cellulosic PLASTICS (Bio)

• TRUSSESS

(1) METAL ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS(MOFs)

• (2) Ceramics- composite materials.
• (3) Bio-Materials
• (4) Hybrid Fibers (Plastics)
Patent Traffic and Countries in Patenting

CAR BODY MATERIALS

Traffic: Patents / Technology

MOFs
200

150
86
100
Structural
AEROSOL 200 Ceramic
100 50 Composite
0

53

120

Hybrid Fibers Bio-Materials

COUNTRY'S CONTRIBUTION

KOREA 24 10 10 12

JAPAN 74 134 1012 MOFs

Ceramic Composite
Bio-Materials
EUROPE 60 116 74 28 Hybrid Fibers

USA 85 132 26 20

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Stage-V

Idea Exploration (On the basis of above facts and material identified; following
possibilities or idea has been created)

Idea-I: A body material which could give the strength as well as the capacity to store
“Gaseous Fuel”, which means it should mould easily and have powerful as well
as strength to store fuel like hydrogen and methane under pressure.

Hypothesis: Solutions I

Material: Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Porous Metal, Cellular Structure, Ceramic
Composite & Natural Fibers like Flax and Hemp.

Fuel: Gas (hydrogen. Methane) / Liquid / Solid

Idea-II: There is another idea to stop inflammability of gas fuel by converting the gas fuel
into gel and carried though out the materials like structural aerogels, a class of
materials presumed to offer the highest stiffness to mass ratio of all.

Hypothesis: Solution II

Material: Micro truss supported metal panels represent the ultimate currently available
structural material for manufacturing the skins and interior surfaces of high
performance vehicles. Whether we will be seeing them in the automobiles of the
future cannot be said with certainty.
Fuel: Gas like Hydrogen or Methane which is inflammable which can be converted
into gel and may be used like gel fuel. Aerogels are materials made from gels.
The liquid in the gel is replaced by gas, resulting in a mass of almost microscopic
interlocking filaments.

Idea- III:
Alternative use: The body material could be used as FUEL that means
the body material could work as conductive materials such as SOLAR PLATE.

Hypothesis: Solution III

Material Micro- Trusses and Metal organic Frameworks (MOFs) with other composite
materials work as semiconductor and store solar energy which could be utilized
directly as fuel.

Fuel Solar energy / Solid

 SUMMARY

The purpose of this project is to find out the future body materials for car. As we all
know that the basic or the base materials would be still Steel and Aluminum but by
finding new materials we could certainly decrease the cost of car by decreasing the fuel
consumption.

The idea behind this project is to find out materials which will be more environmentally
safe, cost effective, and strong. These materials would be recyclable according different
countries norms.

Below table represent our summary of methods by which we found out the materials
which could be used along with base material (Steel and Aluminum).

The tool which we applied here is TRIZ and 9 boxes techniques here we are not giving
the full details of our TRIZ methodology. But below this table we are giving the
methodology of general TRIZ.

General Requirement Condition 1: Condition 2: Condition 3: Condition4:

/Conditions for Future Light Weight but Compatible with Environmentall Rigid but
Car body material / Fuel Rigid Corrosive fuel y safe but absorb Crush
but reduce Cheaper impact
inflammability
TRIZ Conditions Stability Reliability Stress
(Improvement / Strength Of the Or
Contradiction) based on Object Pressure
above general condition Weight Object Ease
Of moving Affected Of Object
to Find out Future car
Body harmful operation generated
body material harmful
Condition 1: Condition 2: Condition 3: Condition 4:
CAR FRAME Self-
Available Technology Crash box Composite FEATURING supporting
filtered from the Patent And materials and RTM- roof panel of
documents by using Absorbing changing Forms TECHNOLOG plastic
Y MODULES
keywords based on Impact material for
OF
TRIZ findings. motor
COMPOSITE
MATERIAL vehicles and
the like
Technology 1: Technology 2: Technology 3: Technology 4:
Methodology used

TRIZ

Concentrate on the ideal solution

Ideality is the overriding driver for system evolution

Concentrate on all the resources available to us

If we can use these more effectively we will get more out of less

Ideality

• I.e. all benefit no cost, no harm. If we can accurately define this, we are half way
there.

• Ideality = ‘Value’ = Benefits

Cost + Harm
• Start by focussing on solutions not problems
• Then ask how can we use the resources to achieve this?

Resources

• Everything in the system is a resource (even the harmful things)

• The best solutions will come from knowing about all the resources

Contradictions

• All systems contain contradictions

– What gets worse as what gets better?
E.g. strength v weight
• We should actively look for contradictions as there are ways of eliminating
compromise.

EXAMPLE:

Question: How can we re-design a leaking flange joint?

 What are we trying to make better? Seal tightness
Reliability

What gets worse as we do this? Weight

Ease of operation
Complexity

TRIZ solution from 40 inventive principles:

“Another Dimension” - Tilt or re-orientate an object, lay it on its side…

9 Boxes Techniques

5 years ago Present Coming 5 years

Super-
system level Put here the consequences if
nothing is done

Think about a hazard that Put here the consequences if

can be blocked in the nothing is done
System level solution space
Put the main problem here

Put here the consequences if

nothing is done
Sub-system
level

Note: This project contains only the over view of Methodology (TRIZ) used and the core
idea that is finding of car body materials.
References:

1. The TRIZ tools from www.trizsite.com

2. Examples taken from www.triz-journal.com
3. Using patent online documents such as USPTO, EPO, WIPO.

© 2008 PatInt Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India