Continental Structural Plastics named PACEpilot finalist for multi-material battery enclosure concept
Continental Structural Plastics (CSP), a Teijin Group Company, announced it has been named a finalist in the 2021 Automotive News PACE pilot award for its innovative, multi-material battery enclosure.
This award recognizes innovations from suppliers that have reached a working pilot demonstration phase but are not yet commercialized with a contracted sale.
CSP and Teijin’s full-sized, multi-material battery enclosure features a one-piece composite cover and one-piece composite tray with aluminum and steel reinforcements. By molding the cover and the tray each as one piece, CSP has created a system which is easier to seal and can be certified prior to shipment. The company has two patents pending for its innovative box assembly and fastening systems.
The company also developed a mounting frame utilizing a structural foam for energy absorption. This enables a reduced frame thickness and weight, while improving crash performance. Additional benefits of the multi-material battery enclosure include:
- Non-conductive
- Can be molded in complex shapes
- Less complexity in tooling
- High strength
- Dimensional stability
- Mold-in sealing features
- Ability to mold-in shielding, including EMI and RFI protection
- Corrosion resistance
- Reduced tooling cost
All told, the CSP multi-material battery enclosure is 15% lighter than a steel battery box. Although it is equal in weight to an aluminum enclosure, the CSP enclosure offers better temperature resistance than aluminum, especially if the phenolic resin system is used. Additionally, the one-piece design for the tray has no through holes, so no sealing or sealant are required. This not only eliminates the chance of leaks, it reduces overall production costs and complexity.
For 26 years, the Automotive News PACE Awards have heralded the industry’s best commercialized game-changing innovations. The increased tempo of change has been driving vast innovation in processes, products and systems that are through the pilot phase, but have not been brought to market. The PACEpilot Award recognizes these pre-production innovations. Winners will be announced on September 30, 2021.
