Our Projects

Carbon fibre composite fender

Project description and overview:

Forming a major part of Quicksteps strategic plans for gaining market share in Europe, this project aims to develop an alternative layup, curing and tooling concept that will increase flexibility and provide capability to increase production rates while reducing labour content and overall investment.

This project will address the key challenges facing the introduction of composite materials in the auto industry today, reducing cost, increasing production rates, enhancing customer appeal and implementing new processes and systems. The patented process gives Quickstep a unique competitive advantage on volume manufacture of complex carbon fibre components, as well as opens the automotive and aerospace component market to Australian manufacturers and develops Australia as a leader in carbon fibre manufactured components.

The project will bring together toolmakers, manufacturers and researchers to develop a short term immediate pathway to market while defining longer term research priorities that will continually improve the technology and maintain its competitiveness.

EXPECTED IMPACT

  • Increased spending on R&D to develop an advanced process for layup, curing and tooling
  • Collaboration with Deakin University and Special Patterns to develop and validate the advanced process
  • Development of new equipment
  • Increased trade intensity with global automobile manufacturers
  • Access to previously unattainable and geographically diverse export markets

EXPECTED GROWTH

  • $25 million in export potential
  • Entry to previously unattainable markets

EXPECTED JOBS

  • 30 new high-skilled jobs
Contributions:

Government Funds: $250,000 | Industry: $317,003 | In-Kind $789,583

Project Collaborators