Prototype design

Grant Agreement number: 101058371 Project acronym: ESTELLA Project title: Design of biobased thermoset polymer with recycling capability by dynamic bonds for bio-composite manufacturing Grant Agreement number: 101058371 Project acronym: ESTELLA Project title: Design of biobased thermoset polymer with recycling capability by dynamic bonds for biocomposite manufacturing DELIVERABLE 3.1 Prototype Design Contractual Date of Delivery: 31st March 2024 Actual Date of Delivery: 1st April 2024 Lead contractor for this deliverable: CIDAUT (CID) Author(s) (CID): Adrian Pedrosa Valbuena & Alberto Blanco Rodríguez Participants(s): María Gálvez Sánchez & Alicia Rodríguez (CID) WP contributing to the deliverable: WP 3 Nature: Public Version V04 Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. REVISION TABLE Document version Date Modified sections - Details V01 2024.02.02 First draft V02 2024.03.13 Second draft V03 2024.03.22 After Technical Review (SINTEF & WK+) V04 2024.03.27 After Quality review (SINTEF & WK+) Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................... 3 ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 5 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 6 2. DEMONSTRATOR DESIGNS .................................................................................................. 7 WINDOW PROFILE .................................................................................................................. 7 SCOOTER PLATFORMS .......................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1. Structural analysis. ............................................................................................. 13 3. CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................. 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................... 20 Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Abbreviations E: Young Modulus FEM: Finite Element Method Kg: Kilograms mm: Millimetres MPa: Megapascals MSC: Marc Mentat Software OOA: Out-of-Autoclave RTM: Resin Transfer Moulding Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Executive Summary This deliverable describes the design of a structural component for the construction sector (window profile) and an item addressing the leisure/mobility sector (scooter platform) by using recyclable and sustainable bio-based composite materials developed in WP2 of the ESTELLA project. The conclusions acquired in WP1 have been considered when the selection of both profiles were decided. CID has overseen the definition of the prototype geometries and their design. Some advice on the definition of the geometries was provided by ECRT. To develop the window profile, the VEGA model from STRUGAL has been considered. With respect to the scooter platform, two models from XIAOMI and CECOTEC are referred; XIAOMI 4 GO ELECTRIC and CECOTEC BONGO D30XL, respectively. This deliverable D3.1 has fully met the objectives as set out in the Grant Agreement. No deviations have been found in the deliverable or in the progress of the project in terms of content, time, or impacts. Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. 1. Introduction In the context of this project, the design and manufacturing of two prototype demonstrator, representing different industrial sectors, have been studied using recyclable and sustainable bio-based composite materials. In this context, the conclusions acquired in WP1 (more specifically in Deliverable 1.3) have been taken into account. Additionally, an assessment of their mechanical requirements and service conditions was conducted. The resins that will be used for the manufacturing of the two prototype demonstrators presented in this deliverable have been developed, and their technical feasibility, sustainability and manufacturing properties are being assessed in WP2 of ESTELLA project. The first prototype, targeting the construction sector, will be made with a resin reinforced with natural, discontinuous, and short fibres, specifically lignocellulose nanofibres. This composite enhances the mechanical stability of the base material for the intended use requirements. Additionally, it exhibits thermal properties that matches and/or improves those achieved with traditional materials. It ensures good dimensional stability in the face of temperature changes, preventing undesired deformations and ensuring optimal performance over time. Based on the above, it has been decided to use this material for the manufacture of a window profile. In contrast, the second prototype, intended for the leisure/mobility sector, will be manufactured with resin reinforced with continuous natural fibre, specifically hemp in the form of fabric. The properties of the resin will ensure the cohesion and durability necessary in the final component. Due to the good bending properties that a fabric-based composite material can exhibit and the focus on the leisure/mobility sector, it has been decided to manufacture an electric scooter platform. Figure 1 shows the prototypes to be manufactured and the materials to be employed. Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Figure 1: Overview of the demonstrators to be designed and manufactured in the ESTELLA project. Both approaches represent tailored solutions to the needs and requirements of each industrial sector. It supports the optimization of materials and manufacturing processes through out-of-autoclave (OOA) technologies to achieve final products that meet established standards of quality and performance. Recyclable and sustainable materials are being developed using OOA technologies in ESTELLA Project. They reduce the final weight of the products while maintaining mechanical properties. This contributes to environmental improvement and cuts costs by lowering manufacturing expenses. Consequently, it enhances the competitiveness of companies. This deliverable is an overview of the design process that has been undertaken for the development of both prototypes. 2. Demonstrator designs Window profile The window profile design was made considering technical, geometric, and manufacturing aspects. In the profile design, the commercial VEGA model from STRUGAL [1] (Figure 2) was used as a reference. Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Figure 2: Standard window profile, the VEGA model from STRUGAL [1]. The window profile consists of two components: the fixed and mobile parts, which both have been designed. The profile thickness is 2.5mm, and its dimensions have been determined based on the UNE-EN 12608-1:2016 standard [2]. Today, pultrusion technology [3-4] is usually used to manufacture composite profiles where continuous fibres are used as reinforcement. However, in case of the ESTELLA Project, a resin casting process [5] will be used for the following reasons:  This manufacturing process is used to manufacture thermoset parts reinforced with nanoparticles.  A small quantity of profiles with reduced length will be produced.  It is a more economical manufacturing process than the pultrusion process.  The pultrusion process is usually carried out only in cases where there is continuous reinforcement. Based on these considerations, the casting process has been selected to produce the bio-based nanocomposite parts. However, this technique can be replaced once tests have been done by a plastic injection moulding process if required by the profile characteristics. The design of two different parts in terms of geometry and complexity has been carried out. As indicated above, the STRUGAL model is used as a reference for the design of both parts of the window profile. The designed fixed and movable parts are shown in Figure 3. The casting process has some geometrical limitations and the option of modifying or simplifying the geometry will be considered if problems are encountered during the manufacturing process. Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Figure 3: Designed window profile (a) fixed part, (b) movable part, and (c) both window parts. In the future deliverable 3.3, the manufacturing of one part of the designed window profile shown in Figure 3 (a or b) will be carried out. To determine the technical feasibility of the resin casting process and the quality of the final part, preliminary tests will be carried out in which the selected designs will be simplified by manufacturing a profile with rectangular geometry. The simplified profile is shown in Figure 4. Figure 4: Simplified rectangular window profile design. This simplified design will enable the identification of limitations or considerations that need to be considered during the manufacturing of Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Figure 8: Flat geometry displacement graphs. -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 BENDING [MM] LENGHT [MM] CENTRE LINE BENDING FLAT GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 4mm-E2890 FLAT GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 5mm-E2890 FLAT GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 4mm-E8000 FLAT GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 5mm-E8000 Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Figure 9: Curve Geometry displacement graphs. Quantitatively, all the analysed cases have been compiled in Table 4. As seen for the flat platform, the highest maximum displacement (9.54 mm maximum deflection, representing 100% deformation) was achieved with the smallest thickness and the lowest material stiffness. In contrast, for the curved model, the maximum displacement of the curved platform with the greatest thickness and highest material stiffness is considerably lower, reaching a deformation of 1,57 mm, 83% less than the platform with the highest displacement. -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 BENDING [MM] LENGHT [MM] CENTRE LINE BENDING CURVE GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 4mm-E2890 CURVE GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 5mm-E2890 CURVE GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 4mm-E8000 CURVE GEOMETRY-100Kg-Thickness 5mm-E8000 Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Table 4: The maximum displacement values and, relative to the reference, its percentages for the flat and curved geometries. E (Mpa) and Thickness (mm) parameters have been consider for the analysis Thickness FLAT GEOMETRY 4 mm 5 mm E 2890 MPa Maximum displacement: 9,54 mm 100% (Reference) Maximum displacement: 4,95 mm -48% 8000 MPa Maximum displacement: 3,48 mm -63% Maximum displacement: 1,78 mm -81% CURVED GEOMETRY 4 mm 5 mm E 2890 MPa Maximum displacement: 8,38 mm -12% Maximum displacement: 4,30 mm -55% 8000 MPa Maximum displacement: 3,07 mm -67% Maximum displacement: 1,57 mm -83% These results emphasize the importance of considering the platform thickness, material stiffness, and platform geometry in the design of the electric scooter. The parameters can have a significant impact on the scooter’s structural behaviour and, consequently, on its safety and performance during use. Once the properties of the materials developed in ESTELLA are known, calculations will be carried out to determine which of the two geometries will be manufactured as a demonstrator prototype. Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. 3. Conclusions In this deliverable, the process to define the geometries of the demonstrators introduced in deliverable 1.3 of the ESTELLA project has been described. The first demonstrator, aimed at the construction sector, is a window profile designed to be manufactured through resin casting loaded with lignocellulose nanofibres onto a detachable tooling. This approach enables the production of a profile without using the more expensive pultrusion process, which is one of the conventional manufacturing methods for constant-section profiles in composite material. The second demonstrator, targeting the leisure/mobility sector, is an electric scooter platform designed to be manufactured using a Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process, employing a hemp fabric impregnated with high-performance epoxy resin. The designs have been made to utilize the novel, natural, and sustainable materials developed in WP2, such as lignocellulose nanofibres and woven hemp fabric, which represent a significant advancement towards sustainability in the composite materials industry. Once the final materials have been selected and characterised, a definitive choice of demonstrator for each sector will be made. Furthermore, the selection of OOA manufacturing processes not only ensures cost efficiency, but also expands production opportunities for companies lacking such facilities, demonstrating the commitment to innovation, sustainability, and accessibility of the ESTELLA project. Grant Agreement 101058371 – Project ESTELLA ESTELLA_D3.1_V04 ©ESTELLA - This is the property of ESTELLA Parties: shall not be distributed/reproduced without formal approval of ESTELLA General Assembly. This reflects only the author’s views. The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Bibliography [1] https://www.strugal.com/sites/default/files/catalogo-ventanasaluminio.pdf [2] https://www.en.une.org/encuentra-tu-norma/busca-tunorma/norma?c=N0057592 [3] https://www.roechling.com/industrial/technology/pultrusion [4] Book: “Rheology and Processing of Polymeric Materials”. Volume 2 Polymer Processing. Chang Dae Han. ISBN: 9780195187830. [5] Blog: Everything You Need to Know About Resin Casting (https://www.rocheindustry.com/resin-casting/) [6] https://www.mi.com/es/product/xiaomi-electric-scooter-4-go/ [7] https://cecotec.es/es/patinetes-electricos/bongo-d30-xl [8] https://www.hexcel.com/user_area/content_media/raw/RTM6_RTM62_H exFlow_DataSheet.pdf