CG Rail GmbH receives SET4FUTURE Innovation Award 2023 for lightweight innovation!

We are delighted to have been awarded the “Innovation Award 2023” by the SET4FUTURE innovation cluster on 5 July 2023! We received this award for the development of an innovative, series-production-capable impact extrusion process, which was successfully realised using the example of an impact-loaded lightweight side flap made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) for high-speed trains. Compared to the aluminium reference component, a mass saving of 30% was achieved.

This highly efficient pressing process for fibre-reinforced thermoplastics offers the following advantages, among others:

– Near-net-shape production of lightweight components

– Components with extremely high functional integration, such as integrated sealing grooves, and thus fewer cost-intensive joining processes and individual parts

– Use of recycled thermoplastics with short-fibre reinforcement (in the case of the side flap, more than 70% recycled material)

– Minimal cycle times (only 2 minutes for the side flap example)

– Inherent fire protection HL3 R1 according to EN45545 achievable