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Nonwovens continue to make progress in the automotive market, as designers of cars, SUVs, trucks and their components are looking for alternative materials to make cars more sustainable and provide higher comfort. In addition, with the growth of new automotive markets including electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous vehicles (AVs) and hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), players in the nonwovens industry expect growth to further expand.

 

"Nonwovens continue to be widely used in the automotive field because they are a cost-effective solution and are usually lighter than other materials." "For example, in some applications, they can replace compression molding materials, and in substrates, they may replace rigid plastics. Nonwovens are increasingly used in a variety of different automotive applications due to their cost, performance, and light weight advantages," said Jim Porterfield, vice president of sales and marketing at AJ Nonwovens."

 

As one of the world's largest nonwovens producers, Freudenberg Performance Materials (Freudenberg Performance Materials) expects the growth of electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to drive the growth of nonwovens, as the material meets many of the new requirements for electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. "Nonwovens are the perfect choice for electric vehicles due to their light weight, high design requirements and recyclability," said Dr. Frank Heislitz, CEO of the company, "For example, nonwovens provide new high-performance technologies for batteries, such as gas diffusion layers.

In recent years, automakers such as General Motors and Ford Motor Co. have announced tens of billions of dollars in investments to increase production of electric and autonomous vehicles. Meanwhile, in October 2022, Hyundai Motor Group broke ground on its Mega plant in Georgia, USA. The $5.54 billion investment by the company and its affiliated suppliers includes plans to produce a variety of Hyundai, Genesis and Kia electric vehicles, as well as a new battery manufacturing facility. The plant will establish a stable supply chain for electric vehicle batteries and other electric vehicle components in the US market.

 

The new smart factory is expected to start commercial production in the first half of 2025, with an annual capacity of 300000 vehicles. However, according to Jose Munoz, Hyundai's global chief operating officer, the factory may start production as early as the third quarter of 2024, and the output of vehicles may also be higher, with an annual output of 500000 vehicles expected.

 

For General Motors, the manufacturer of Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet cars, carpet, trunk trim, ceiling and seat applications are common applications that users will see for non-woven fabrics. Heather Scalf, senior global design director for color and trim development at General Motors, said that using nonwoven materials in certain applications has both advantages and disadvantages.

 

"One of the main advantages of nonwovens is that it costs less compared to knitted and tufted structures used for the same applications, but it is more difficult to manufacture and tends to not be as durable as woven or tufted structures, which limits the places of placement and use," she said. In addition, nonwovens do not require polyurethane foam as a substrate in ceiling applications, which contributes to sustainable development."

 

In the past decade, nonwovens have improved in some areas, such as printing and embossing ability in ceiling applications, but they still have disadvantages in appearance and durability compared with knitted structures. "This is why we believe that nonwovens are more suitable for certain applications and automotive fields."
From a visual point of view, nonwovens are limited in terms of design aesthetic ability and quality perception. "Usually, they are very monotonous. Future advances in improving appearance and durability may make nonwovens more popular and more suitable for other models."

 

At the same time, one of the reasons why General Motors will consider non-woven materials for electric vehicles is that the value of non-woven materials can help manufacturers launch more affordable products and use more recyclable materials.

Forward, forward, forward
Nonwovens producers also expressed confidence. In March 2022, South Carolina-based global textile manufacturer AstenJohnson announced it would build a new 220000-square-foot facility in Waco, Texas, the company's eighth facility in North America.

 

 

The Waco plant will focus on growth markets for nonwovens, including automotive lightweight and composites. In addition to launching two state-of-the-art Dilo needle-punched nonwoven lines, the Waco plant will also focus on sustainable commercial practices. The plant is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2023 and is expected to start producing automotive products from the third quarter.

 

Meanwhile, in June 2022, AstenJohnson announced the creation of a new division, AJ Nonwovens. It combines previously acquired Eagle Nonwovens and Foss Performance Materials. The latter two plants will operate under the new name AJ Nonwovens along with the new plant in Waco. The three plants will increase production capacity and speed up the time to market. Their goal is to become the most modern supplier of nonwovens in North America, while also investing in additional recycling capacity.

 

In the automotive market, materials developed by AJ Nonwovens are used in the rear window sills, trunks, floors, seat backs and outer wheel wells of cars. It also produces flooring, load floors, and seat back materials for trucks and SUVs, and automotive filter materials. The company also plans to grow and innovate in the underbody shield area, an area it is currently not involved in.

 

The accelerated growth of electric vehicles has brought new and different challenges to the market, especially in the choice of materials. AJ Nonwovens recognizes this and is technologically well-positioned to continue to innovate in this high-growth area in which it is already involved. The company has also created several new products in sound-absorbing materials and developed others for specific applications.

 

Toray Industries, headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is also expanding. In September 2022, the company announced that its subsidiaries Toray Textiles Central Europe (TTCE) and Toray Advanced Materials Korea (TAK) have completed the construction of a new plant in Prostkhov, Czech Republic, which will expand the group's Airlite automotive interior sound-absorbing materials business in Europe. Airlite product is a meltblown non-woven sound-absorbing material made of lightweight polypropylene and polyester. Such materials enhance passenger comfort by dampening noise from driving, vibration, and external vehicles.

 

TTCE's new plant in the Czech Republic will have an annual capacity of 1200 tons. The new facility will complement TTCE's airbag fabrics business, helping to expand the automotive materials business.

 

TAK intends to use the new facility to support its automotive interior sound-absorbing materials business in Europe, and to further provide services to automakers and major component manufacturers as the European electric vehicle market grows. According to Toray, Europe has taken the lead in strengthening automobile noise regulations in developed countries, including internal combustion engine models. In the next few years, the demand for electric vehicles will surge. The company expects light sound-absorbing material applications will continue to expand.

 

In addition to Airlite, Toray has also been developing its nonwovens nanofiber fabric Synthefiber NT. This is a non-woven sound-absorbing material made of 100% polyester for skin and barrier layers. It helps to solve noise and environmental problems by demonstrating its excellent sound absorption performance in various fields such as roads, railways and construction materials.

 

Toray Industries Corporate Communications Manager Tatsuya Bessho said that the application of nonwovens in the automotive market is expanding, and the company believes that the growth rate of nonwovens will increase. "For example, we believe that the popularity of electric vehicles will change the required sound absorption performance, so it is necessary to develop sound insulation materials accordingly. In areas that have not been used before, there will be great hope to use non-woven materials to reduce weight, which is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

 

Fibertex Nonwovens companies are also optimistic about the growth of nonwovens in the automotive industry. According to Clive Hitchcock, CCO of the company's automotive and wipes business, the role of nonwovens is expanding. "In fact, a car uses more than 30 square meters of nonwoven fabric, which shows that it is an important part of the various components of the car."

 

The company's products often replace heavier and more environmentally harmful products. This is particularly applicable to the automotive industry, as nonwoven products are lighter, help reduce fuel consumption and provide great comfort. In addition, when the car reaches the end of its life cycle, these products are easier to recycle, helping to achieve responsible consumption and production.

 

According to Hitchcock, their nonwovens are used in various applications in automobile manufacturing, such as reducing car weight, improving comfort and aesthetics, and can be used for general insulation and fire protection. "But most importantly, we have improved the experience and comfort of drivers and passengers through advanced sound-absorbing solutions and efficient filter media."

 

In terms of new applications, Fibertex see new opportunities related to the "front trunk (Frunk)", the function of the trunk is moved to the front of the vehicle (previously the engine compartment), at the same time in the cable coating, thermal management and electrical protection also has a good play. He added: "In some applications, nonwovens are an effective alternative to polyurethane foam and other traditional solutions."

The Opportunities of Electric Vehicles
 

When it comes to the electric vehicle market, Fibertex expects to see growth due to the importance of lightweight materials and increasing popularity, and the company is currently studying this market. Hitchcock explained: "Because the use of motors and other electronic components introduces a new sound wave frequency range, we see opportunities in heat insulation and sound-absorbing materials."

 

He said: "As an important part of daily life, we continue to see strong future development in the automotive market, and its potential growth will continue, which requires solid technological development. Therefore, automotive is one of the main areas of Fibertex. We see the application of nonwovens expanding in this important market because of their customization, sustainability and design capabilities that can achieve specific performance goals."

 

Freudenberg Performance Materials (FPM) provides a broad technology platform for automotive applications, including products and technologies that meet customer requirements, such as high-performance lightweight solutions. Freudenberg is one of the few companies to produce gas diffusion layers entirely within its own production facilities, including laboratories. In addition to the gas diffusion layer (GDL) for fuel cells, the company also produces lightweight sound-absorbing mats, underbody shields, and canopy surfaces with differentiated printing. The spunbond nonwovens they produce based on Lutradur technology can be used for Car mats, carpet backings, interior and trunk liners, and Evolon microfilament textiles are used in various automotive applications.

 

Credberg's new solution includes battery pack liquid absorbent pads for lithium-ion battery pack temperature and moisture management. "Battery packs are the core elements of mobile and stationary lithium-ion energy storage systems," explains Dr. Heislitz, "and they are used in automotive and industrial applications. Liquid leakage within the battery pack can have a variety of causes. Air humidity is a major problem. After the air enters the battery pack, moisture condenses within the cooled battery pack. Another possibility is leakage of coolant from the cooling system. In both cases, the absorbent pad is a safety system that reliably captures and stores condensate and leaking coolant."

 

The battery pack liquid absorbent pad developed by Freudenberg can reliably absorb and store large amounts of liquid. The modular design makes it possible to adjust the absorption capacity according to the available space. Because it is a flexible material, it can even realize customer-specified geometric shapes.

 

Another innovation of the company is a high-performance friction plate for bolting and press-fit joints. With the pursuit of higher performance, bolted connections and press-fit joints are subjected to greater torque and force. This is mainly highlighted in the engine and electric vehicle powertrain applications. Freudenberg's high-performance friction plates are the solution for even more demanding requirements.

 

Through the use of high-performance friction plates between the two connecting parts, static friction coefficients of up to μ = 0.95 can be achieved. "With a significant increase in the coefficient of static friction, many benefits can be obtained, such as higher shear and torque transmission due to optimized friction joints, reduction in the number and/or size of bolts used, and prevention of micro-vibrations, thereby reducing noise." Dr. Heislitz said, "This innovative and powerful technology also helps the automotive industry adopt the same component strategy. For example, the powertrain components of low-motor vehicles can be used in high-performance vehicles without redesign, thereby achieving higher torque."

 

The high-performance friction plate technology uses a special non-woven carrier material, one side of which is coated with hard particles and placed at the friction joint during use. This allows the hard particles to penetrate both surfaces of the joint and thereby form a micro-interlock. Unlike existing hard particle technology, the friction plate has a thinner material profile, does not affect part tolerances, and can be easily retrofitted to existing connectors.

 

At the same time, nonwovens manufacturers Ahlstrom provide a wide range of nonwovens for automotive end uses, including automotive interior parts, all automotive and heavy-duty applications (oil, fuel, transmission, cabin air, air intake) Filter media, as well as electric vehicles (cabin air, transmission oil, battery cooling and fuel cell air intake) and battery separators.

 

In terms of filtration, Ahlstrom launched FiltEV in 2021, a platform entirely dedicated to electric vehicles. The FiltEV platform includes a new generation of cabin air filtration media that provides higher efficiency in the filtration of fine particles (HEPA), microorganisms and harmful gases, making journeys safer. In addition, the oil filter media series of gearboxes for suction filters and press filters provide better protection and longer service life for the power system. In addition, the complete combination of air and liquid filter media for thermal management provides reliability and extended performance to the cooling device. Finally, the modular concept of the fuel cell intake filter media protects circuits and catalysts from fine particles and critical molecules.

 

To complement filtration products for electric vehicles, Ahlstrom launched FortiCell, a product platform designed for energy storage applications. Noora Blasi, marketing manager of the filtration department of Ahlstrom, said that this product provides the lead-acid battery industry with a complete portfolio of fiber-based materials, in addition to developing new solutions for lithium-ion batteries. She said: "Our fiber materials have unique properties, which bring greater benefits to the improvement of battery performance."

 

Ahlstrom will also continue to provide customers with better performance and more sustainable filter media in the traditional transportation field. For example, its recently launched ECO series was shortlisted for the Filtrex Innovation Award. Blasi said: "By adding a large amount of bio-based lignin to the formulation of some engine air intake and oil filter media, we have been able to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the media and greatly reduce formaldehyde emissions during the customer's curing process. Still maintain the filtration performance and durability of the media."

 

According to Ahlstrom Industrial Nonwovens Sales and Product Manager Maxence Décamps, in addition to filtration, Ahlstrom also provide a series of independent and laminated nonwovens for automotive interior parts applications, such as ceilings, doors, dashboards, etc. "We continue to innovate and stay one step ahead to help our customers meet their demanding technical challenges," he says."

Bright Future
 

Looking ahead, Blasi noted that nonwovens, especially composites, have a strong future in the automotive market. "As the demand for filtration market increases, the required solutions become more complex. The new multi-layer design introduces more features than the single-layer solution. The new raw materials will provide higher added value, for example in terms of carbon footprint, processability and emission reduction."

 

The automotive market is also facing some challenges. "The automotive industry has taken a big hit in the past two years, but the hard times are not over. Our customers have overcome many difficulties and there are more challenges to face. However, we believe they will be stronger in the near future. Chaos will reshuffle the market, stimulate creativity and make impossible projects possible." Décamps added, "Our role in this crisis is to support our clients on this deep transformation journey. In the medium term, our clients will see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are proud to be their partners in this difficult journey."

 

The automotive market is characterized by intense competition, but there are also challenges for innovation and further development. The versatility of nonwovens gives them a strong future in this market as they can be adapted to new requirements and conditions. Still, the current situation does pose challenges for the industry, with shortages of raw materials, components and capacity such as chips, uncertainty surrounding energy supplies, soaring raw material prices, rising transportation costs, and energy costs creating a dramatic situation for suppliers in the automotive industry.

This article is from Nonwovens Industry Journal
Author: Tara Olivo

 

Source: Jung-International Nonwoven Industry Business