Lightweight Automotive Fibre-Steered Structures (LeAFS)

A pilot production line will soon begin stamping out car body parts from carbon-fibre tape and sheet-moulding compound, using a manufacturing technique called Rapid Tow Shearing that steers fibres along curved paths. This matters because steel and aluminium car parts are heavy, and lighter vehicles use less energy—whether that energy comes from petrol or a battery. But composite parts, though strong and light, have been too slow and expensive to make for mass-market cars. Current automated methods struggle with the tight curves needed for structural components, and hand-laying carbon fibre is far too costly for high-volume production. If LeAFS succeeds, the pilot line will solve the key manufacturing bottlenecks: how to feed, form, and cure hybrid preforms at production speed while keeping quality high and cost low. The immediate impact is a new UK-based supply chain for lightweight automotive structures, cutting vehicle weight without the price premium that has kept composites in luxury cars and aerospace. That means better fuel economy or longer electric range for ordinary family cars, delivered through a manufacturing process that can scale to European markets.