Russell Elkin 3A Composites

1. © 3A Composites Holding AG
Automotive Lightweight Materials USA
March 15 – 16, 2034
Sandwich Construction as a Light-weighting
Solution for Automotive
Russell Elkin
Product Development Director
3A Core Materials

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Company Introduction
3A Composites Core Materials – Global market leader with local resources
• Industry leader with over 80 years of experience
• Lightweight material producer with focus on closed cell foam and balsa wood
• Globally inspired, locally sourced, widely available
• A sustainable & lean supply chain for a world-class industry
• Fully adopted APQP, IMDS
• Fully committed to become a carbon neutral company by 2025
• Aligned with the 17 SDGs Goals from the UN
PET manufacturing location
Balsa manufacturing location
Kitting
Innovation center
Sustainability report
https://www.3accorematerials.com/uploads/pdf/Sustainability-Report-2021.pdf

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•The perfect product solution for every single customer requirement:
Structural foam core materials
• AIREX® T92 – Easy Processing Structural Foam
• AIREX® C70 – Lightweight Structural Foam
• AIREX® T10 – Premium Structural Foam
• AIREX® R82 – High Performance Foam
• AIREX® TegraCoreTM – Fire Performance Structural Lightweight Foam
• AIREX® T90 – Fire Retardant Structural Foam
• AIREX® PX – Fibre-Reinforced Structural Foam Panel
Structural balsa core materials
• BALTEK® SB – Select Grade Structural Balsa Core
• BALTEK® SBC – Plantation Controlled Structural Balsa Core
• BALTEK® VBC – Oriented Grain Structural Balsa Core
• BALTEK® IG – Industrial Grade Balsa Core
3A Core Materials
The Broadest Selection of Sandwich Core Materials Worldwide
20 March 2023
Lantor Textile Foam Cores
• SORIC® - structural textile core plus resin
flow media
• Teccore® TG – for RTM & autoclave
• Teccore® TG HP – for HP RTM

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20 March 2023
Sandwich benefits, processing and its sustainability by de-massification
Benefits of sandwich constructions:
✓ Lowest weight
✓ Stiffness and strength
✓ Thermal insulation
✓ Crash behavior
✓ Easier and cheaper to handle (resource avoidance)
✓ Sound absorption
✓ Ecology
✓ Design benefits
✓ TCO
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Steel Aluminium Nylon CFRP Alum-Sandwich
Weight,
kg/m2
Thickness,
mm
Same stiffness with different materials
Thickness, mm Weight, kg/m2
Weight Stiffness
1 1
1 12
1 48

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• Perception that foams are not structural
• Products must foam in place
• “Structural” cores are too expensive
• Lack of understanding
• More difficult to analyze & simulate
• Belief that processing is far too slow
Sandwich is not used in Automotive, Why?
20 March 2023
1 mm
BALTEK
AIREX T92
Urethane

6. Process details
Resins
Thermoplastic (PP, PA, PET etc.)
Thermoset (Epoxy, PU etc.)
Temperatures Depending on resin
Pressures 1-20 bar
Cycle time Starting at ≈ 60 sec.
Efficient Sandwich Part Production 1/2
✓ Simple, easy-to-control process
✓ Low investment required
✓ Cost efficient thermoplastic resins
possible
✓ Use of metal face sheets possible
(thermo-bonding)
Compression molding
Forming Press
60-120 ºC
1-10 bar
Heating Press
120-220 ºC
Remove part
Dry Material
lay up (with TP resin)
Dry Material
lay up
Hot
Press
Thermoplastic
Wet
Press
Molding

7. 1.E+00
1.E+01
1.E+02
1.E+03
1.E+04
1.E+05
1.E+06
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 50 100 150
Resin
Viscosity
(Pa.s)
Temperature
(°C)
Time (s)
Foam Temperature @5mm (100C) Resin viscosity (righthand scale)
Process Speed
✓ Foam core (insulating) heats
up slowly
✓ Remains below TG for some
30-60 seconds
Foam core temperature and resin viscosity
TG PET approx. 75 ºC
T
5mm
5mm 5mm
Injection Pre-Hardening
Short Cycle Time Allows Consolidation While Foam Remains Cold

8. Thermoforming AIREX® Cores into Shape
✓PET foam cores are very simple to thermoform ≈ 160 ºC
✓No spring back
✓Large elongations possible
✓Thickness differences of up to 75%
✓Surface remains the same (skin adhesion assured)

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Efficient Sandwich Part Production 2/2
High Pressure Resin Transfer Molding (HP-RTM)
• High pressure?
• High pressure mixing unit
• Injection pressure in mold depending on feed rate
• HP-RTM well established for monolithic structures
• Process in development for sandwich structures
• Only thin skins needed
• Lower pressure in mold sufficient for full fiber wetting
• Advantage for cost-effective core materials such as PET
20 March 2023
Fibers Preform Vacuum cycle Resin injection Final part
Compression and curing
High Pressure Mixinghead
(Source Henkel)
(Source Henkel)

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Process optimization
• Requirements for resin system
• Low viscosity for fast filling
• Low temperature fast curing to keep foam cold
• Softening (Tg) of PET foam is around 75 °C
• Mold Temperature: low is best for foam
• Softening of foam is avoided with short cycles
20 March 2023
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
20 60 100
relative
compressive
Modulus
(%
of
RT
Modulus)
Temperature (°C)
PET foam mechanical
properties vs. temperature
TG~ 75 ºC
Curing behavior of Loctite Max 2
at 70 °C mold temperature
(Source Henkel)
Blue: 90°C mold temperature
Green: 65°C mold temperature

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Microsandwich, Preforms & Thermoplastic sandwich sheets
• Thin core is combined with dry fabric, pre-preg, GMT sheet
• Enabling 3D sandwich technology to be processed simply, efficiently & quickly
20 March 2023
Manufacturing process:
▪ Heat skin material above Tm
+
Heat core in thermoforming range
▪ Press into a 3D panel
▪ Cool down below core material Tg
▪ Open press
Foams are heat insulators
λ ~ 0.03 - 0.04 W/(m⋅K)
Needed heating/cooling time:
0.2 - 1 min/mm
Thin PET foam foils at thermoforming temperature
are soft and flexible:
Easily shaped to very complex structures
Sandwich: 30 min+
Micro-sandwich: 1-2 min
Thermoplastic skins with thermoformable thin PET core

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AIREX T92/T10 & BALTEK SBC, benefits in automotive applications
Proven processes - Examples
Floor element
Description Parcel shelf EV battery enclosure
concept
Sandwich
demonstrator
Truck sidewall panels
Back seat panels
MFG, USA
Producer Greiner Perfoam AUT StrucTeam UK
Consortium
Henkel, D Vixen Composites,
USA
Fehrer, D
Glass, polyester,
AIREX® T92.130 /
BALTEK® SBC.68
Materials Glass-PP Nonwoven,
AIREX® T92.60
AIREX T92 /
BALTEK® SBC
Carbon, PU resin,
AIREX® TX.110
Glass, polyester,
AIREX® T92.200
Glass-PP Nonwoven,
AIREX® T10.100
Wet pressing
Production process Thermo pressing Wet pressing High pressure RTM Panel pultrusion
Thermo pressing
4 – 8 min.
Cycle time 90 sec. Non-disclosed 3 min. 1-2 m/min.
90 sec.
• Weight reduction
• Stiffness increase
• Part consolidation
Main advantages • Weight reduction
(-40%)
• High specific stiffness
and strength
• Thermal insulation
• Effective fire protection
• Tailorable impact
performance
• Ease of manufacturing
• Fast process,
• high mechanical
performance
• Low strain on
machines and
materials
• Weight reduction
• Thermal insulation
• Damage tolerance
• Corrosion resistance
• Weight reduction
(-40%)

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Sandwich sustainability
Visible Costs:
Price of the core
Hidden Costs:
Raw material and resource avoidance
Innovating & Integrated model with Balsa and PET from seed & raw material to kit
Avoidance of ancillary materials
Carbon emissions: own CO2 neutral core materials
Leading core materials industry regarding sustainability
Own balsa plantations FSC®-certified since 10+ years
Considerable reduction of risks related to supply chain
Portfolio with PET and Balsa (price stability at any market conditions)
Truly align towards sustainability (enviro, social, industrial & financial)
Logistics from raw material to customer manufacturing facility
Long-term experience with mastering the business in low cost countries
Stable and reliable
Mechanical properties to weight ratio
Recyclable cores
Geographical presence
80%
Balsa core
• Global supply
• Large supply volume with lots of
potential growth
• Excellent mechanical performance
• Economical (best performance/$)
• Sustainability (carbon negative)
PET polymer foam core
• Global supply
• Large supply volume with lots of
potential growth
• High value; properties vs. price
• Sustainability; circular product

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Volumized non-woven fabrics impregnated
with foam (microspheres + binder)
Available 1.5 to 5mm thick
Complex geometries
Prevents resin shrinkage (improved
surface quality)
Reduced fiber washing
Fibers produced from recycled PET
Processing up to 170C (higher short cycle)
Pressure up to 6bar (some thickness
reduction)
Processes:
• Infusion / VARTM
• RTM / HPRTM
• Thermopressing
• Pre-preg
Lantor SORIC & Teccore – Textile Foam Fabrics
20 March 2023

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• Name: Ochroma Lagopus
• Avg. Height: 18m (60 ft)
• Avg. Diameter: 55 - 75 cm
• Time to maturity: 4-7 years
• Balsa is a hardwood
• Lightest known structural wood
• Microstructure:
• Wood is itself a composite of fibers
(cellulose) and resin (lignin)
• 92% of total volume is air
• Vessels make up about 8% of total volume
• Honeycomb like cells; h/d ratio ~25
• Density is dependent on cell wall thickness
• Lumber density 70 – 350 kg/m3
• Lumber is cut to minimize density
variation, but maximize yield
• 85 – 90% of volume between 100 &
250kg/m3 (Avg. ~140)
• Graded for density & defects
• Format – End-grain or Oriented grain
• Integrated quality system
Balsa Based Sandwich Core Materials
0 6 12 18 24 30
Density (lb/cu.ft.)
0
10
20
30
40
Shear
Modulus
(ksi)
ASTM C 273 Shear Modulus of Structural Core Materials
0 50 100 150 200
Density (kg/m3)
0
26
52
78
104
130
156
182
208
234
260
Shear
Modulus
(MPa)
BALTEK
Cross-linked PVC Foam
Urethane Foam
SAN Foam
Properties were taken from manufacturer's published data.

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Balsa trees can only be farmed near the equator
>90% production is in Ecuador
Ecuador is only 1% of the Amazon rainforest
No balsa plantations in Ecuador are located in
this region.
Balsa is a 1st growth species; it only grows
naturally in the forest near rivers
>14k hectares (Ecuador & PNG); FSC certified
Plantations are located on reclaimed farm or
grazing land
Represent about 67% of global balsa supply
Almost 30% improvement in yield from our
plantations in the last 20 years
Global Balsa Supply & the Rainforest
20 March 2023

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20 March 2023
Weeding
Nursery Thinning
Balsa Core Value Chain
Kiln Drying
Block production Finished Goods
Harvesting
Kitting

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Our Offer:
Sustainable balsa forestry, fully integrated
20 March 2023
• +14k hectares of FSC® certified plantations in Ecuador and
Papua New Guinea for guaranteed supply. We are committed
to have as close to 100% internal sourcing as possible!
• 3.5 million trees planted yearly
• Bio-enhanced plant breeding program: More biomass, less wood
imperfections and higher average density at same harvesting age
• LegalSource™️ certificate for all our wood supply chain:
Due diligence system to ensure NO ILEGALLY harvested wood is
on any BALTEK® product, fully compliant with EUTR
• Corporate social responsibility and forestry management according to
FSC® principles. Positive impact for low income rural communities
• Our harvesting rate is less than our biomass increase,
generating a carbon sink
• Production emissions are compensated through insetting from
our plantations. BALTEK SBC, the first and only carbon neutral core material.

19. 300%
200%
100%
0%
-100%
*Use-case is based on IPCC 100yr rule
Core
Carbon emissions will become a key component of the Total Cost of Ownership formula. 3ACM has
moved in the direction of the latest sustainability trends and will certify BALTEK® SBC, coming 100%
from FSC® -certified plantations as a carbon neutral core.
BALTEK® SBC footprint has been assessed up to blade manufacturing. As it is a carbon sink, it starts
negative, adding the contribution from the resin and the use-case* (20yrs for typical blade).
In comparison with other core materials and uncontrolled balsa plantations, its carbon footprint is
unrivaled
Resin
Total
Carbon Emissions

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Combination extrusion +block welding
✓ Larger sheet format
✓ Higher production volumes
✓ Anisotropy between “flat-grain” & “end-
grain” format
✓ Global supply >200,000m3/annum
Scalable production capacity
Fully automated production
Tightly controlled production and product
quality
Direct extrusion
✓ Superior surface
✓ Improved mechanical properties (machine
direction)
• Anisotropy between L & W
• Sheet thickness as low as 1.5mm
PET Foam Based Sandwich Core Materials
• Thermoplastic polymer
• Stable & inert (no outgassing)
• Virgin, mixed or recycled feedstock
• Density from 60 – 250 kg/m3
• Closed cell
• Compatible with all types of resin
systems and lamination process
• Process temps up to 150C (short
cycle far higher)
• Best performance vs. cost for
cellular foams

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Sustainability concept in recipe
formulation:
- Agglomerate
- Recyclate
- PET Flakes/Pellets/Granules
In-line process waste recycling
stations.
Circular Product
All thermoplastic sandwich panels
Recycling/upcycling waste foam
into new parts
PET Foam Sustainability
20 March 2023
End-of-life
composite
Mechanical
comminution
Second-generation
composites

22. Learning's for Cost Efficient, Short
Cycle Sandwich Production
✓Composite Sandwich combines material AND constructive light-
weighting design strategies thus maximizing both weight & cost saving
✓Sandwich permits use of lower cost materials to create higher
performing parts
✓Sandwich can utilize both metal and composite facing materials as
well as thermoset & thermoplastic resin systems
✓AIREX®, BALTEK® & SORIC® cores offer far superior performance to
urethane, plastic & paper honeycomb.
✓AIREX® & BALTEK® products are renewable & recyclable
✓Several series applications ongoing and successful
✓RTM is most challenging
✓Want ribs? Try a sandwich instead

23. © 3A Composites Holding AG
Sandwich parts with AIREX or BALTEK are proven solutions to light-
weighting, functional integration and sustainability
Questions?

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Speaker Contact
Information
• Name: Russell Elkin
• Title: Product Development Director
• Company: 3A Composites Core Materials
• Phone: +1 336-398-1881
• Email: russ.elkin@3acomposites.com
20 March 2023