Audi R8 V10 and R8 GT Lightweight Carbon Fiber Components
April 14th, 2012 | 
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www.eurocarnews.com – Audi AG – Fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) are a particularly intriguing group of materials, particularly the carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP). Audi already offers a number of CFRP components for the interior and the body, primarily in the R8 model family. These range all the way up to load-bearing structural elements such as the side walls and the cover for the top compartment in the R8 Spyder. In future models, Audi plans to use CFRP components manufactured using the much more efficient RTM (resin transfer molding) process in the vehicle structure. With RTM, the dried fiber fabric is first draped (formed) before being placed in a closed, heated die and injected with synthetic resin at high pressure. This ensures that the fabric is thoroughly saturated and cured under pressure and temperature. The experts at Production Technology Development have developed specialized expertise in both draping and injection, enabling them to optimize the production process in advance. The new CFRP parts will reinforce steel or aluminum components or will serve as independent components in the structure. Carbon fiber-reinforced plastic is not only around 60 percent lighter than steel, it is a designer material that allows the mechanical designers to freely define many component properties. CFRP components perform best when they are designed to absorb forces coming from a single direction. The individual layers of fiber fabric placed over top of one another in …
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audi r8 NF (the other )
I don’t think that will affect on any of mechanical properties because it’s just the same kind off the regular carbon fiber but they just tried to change some of it’s elements to make it look red
— yes it can be painted … e.g. Formula1 cars chassis/body are entirely made from carbon fiber and are painted no problem – also cars like Pagani Zonda , the body is 100% CF and is painted in many different colors
I’d love in red , but wont affect the durability , weight , thermal resistance … ?
No, I think, but there is a company called Al-Mansouri, a company makes models for all cars from carbon fiber has been able to manufacture carbon fiber red and black
Can Carbon Fiber be painted ?
The white R8 is lettered as a 5.2 FSI quattro but it has got the carbon module of the GT version at the rear together with it’s exhaust pipes!