The Lamborghini Aventador J
roadster, which debuted at this year's Geneva Motor Show, not only uses carbon-fiber composites throughout the car, but also features a new seat upholstery material called CarbonSkin.
The new material is reportedly woven of carbon fibers in a 2x2 twill pattern, and then infused in a new type of resin, in an entirely new impregnation system that has not been used before in the automotive industry. This infusion process stabilizes and strengthens the fiber structure, as is usual in resin infusion systems, yet the fabric remains soft and flexible after curing. The result is a matte fabric that is said to be half the weight of leather, and that can be easily shaped to conform to a broad variety of contours.
The new Lamborghini Aventador J roadster not only uses carbon-fiber composites throughout the car, but also features a new interior upholstery material called CarbonSkin. (Source: Lamborghini)
Like its predecessor, the Aventador LP 700-4, the Aventador J showcases multiple uses of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics. Lamborghini is noted for developing many "firsts" in these materials over the last 30 years. In 2010, the car company opened the Advanced Composites Research Center to further development of these materials. In the J, they are distributed throughout the car's exterior and interior, including the chassis.
The CarbonSkin carbon-fiber composite fabric is soft and pliable enough to cover the vehicle's car seats, where it's used as both upholstery and trim fabric. It also covers other surfaces in the cockpit, such as the center console, the instrument-panel topper pad, and inner door panels.
After each forged composite seat shell is molded, the CarbonSkin material is co-bonded and sewn to the seat's front. The new fabric is produced for the automaker by a manufacturing partner company, although it was developed and patented by Lamborghini.
The Aventador J's seats themselves are made of forged carbon-fiber composites. Each seat is a two-piece bonded shell structure. The forged composite material was jointly developed by Lamborghini's R&D groups in partnership with Callaway Golf Co. That material was first shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, on the suspension arms and monocoque of Lamborghini's Sesto Elemento demonstrator vehicle.
The forged composite is said to be the strongest and lightest material that either of the partner companies has ever used. It comprises more than 500,000 intertwined, randomly oriented, turbostratic fibers per square inch. Precision parts that can withstand extremely high forces can be produced with it.
naperlou, I think it's important to remember that high volumes do not drive all progress/R&D, especially outside of electronics. Back in the day, when so many technologies were developed for high-ticket, long lifecycle products in industries such as mil/ and early comms and even electronics at one time, being a vertically integrated company that made a lot of your own materials and/or components was not unusual. IBM was a prime example.
Beth, I'd make the same bet about customer base overlap for those two companies, although it's also true that carbon fiber had an early presence in sports equipment such as golf clubs. This isn't the first time these two have worked together, as DN has covered in the past: http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1392&doc_id=212241 That overlap may explain, in part, how they can afford a composite research center, as naperlou asked. It seems that many non-US sports car companies are run by, or were at least begun by, members of the upper classes, at least in England and Italy, as expensive hobbies.
It makes more sense for Lamborghini to have a composites research center that would lead to such a dynamic fabric than, say, Toyota. Smaller, high-end companies act as the catalyst. And, large,mass market companies translate what's needed for their market.
The matte look is very intersting. I'd love to touch a swatch and see if they incorparate this into their apparel line someshow.
It is interesting that a car company, with volumes this low, should have a composites research center. Of course, it is important to what they are trying to do as a company, but that is not a trivial thing. When I was in the aerospace industry we had a composite laba and made our own composites from raw materials. I assume that this technology will eventually get out into the more general marketplace as time goes on and Lambo proves that its technology works in the rigors of a high performance auto.
Interesting post, Ann. Funny (but not totally unexpected) that Calloway Golf and Lamborghini are teaming up on composite development. Two very different applications, but similarity in the need for lightweight, flexible materials. And want to bet they may have overlap in customer base?
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