According to CSP and GM, the material is able to withstand the E-coat process, and passes all OEM paint tests. It also offers higher cost efficiency. For production volumes under 150,000, tooling costs for composites can be as much as 50 to 70 percent less than those for stamping steel or aluminum.
With the use of TCA Ultra Lite, GM continues its long tradition of composites manufacturing. In a 2012 article, GM outlined its 60-year history using advanced materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber for the Corvette. GM’s Dr. J. Gary Smyth will deliver a keynote speech at the 2015 Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) in October, produced by the American Composites Manufacturers Association and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), which will include what GM has learned about composites from the evolution of the Corvette.
