The Rebar for Plastics composite lattice technology developed by polyolefins leader Braskem and WEAV3D, in partnership with the Clemson Composites Center, was voted Most Innovative Part at the Automotive Composites Conference and Exhibition (ACCE) of the Society for Plastics Engineers (SPE).

It has also received the Material and Process Innovation Award from the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA).

“Rebar for Plastics technology provides signficant advantages in high-strength and lightweight composites,” says Joel Carr, technical service and development engineering team leader for Braskem America. “These latest awards affirm our success in enhancing manufacturing process value through material cost savings. 2024 has been a fantastic year for recognising the solution that we have developed with our partners.”

The combination of WEAV3D composite lattice reinforcement with Braskem polypropylene (PP) enables lighter and less expensive thermoplastic solutions than conventional organosheets, unlocking new opportunities for the cost-effective replacement of sheet metal structures with thermoplastics throughout the vehicle. WEAV3D,

Braskem, and the Clemson Composites Center partnered to replace a carbon fibre/PA6 organosheet automotive door structure with WEAV3D lattice reinforced polypropylene, achieving 23% weight savings, 50% cost savings and 62% scrap reduction.

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