CETMA is a non-profit research organization located in Italy that focuses on sustainable innovation for transportation through advanced materials and processes. It has 85 employees with expertise in materials engineering, computer science, and industrial design. CETMA conducts research on composites to reduce vehicle weight and fuel consumption, including developing cost-effective manufacturing techniques, joining methods, and defect detection processes. It also investigates bio-based and smart materials. CETMA aims to fully exploit the potential of composite materials through a multidisciplinary approach and knowledge transfer to customers.

1. Sustainable innovation for transportation:
new frontiers per materials and processes.
CETMA contribution
Advanced Materials International Forum
Bari 2014 september 18
Luigi Barone – CETMA General Manager

2. CETMA is a RTO, Research an Technology Organization. It is a non-profit organization
and all its profits are reinvested in R&D.
CETMA was founded in 1994 by ENEA with the aim of developing the Innovation
System of Southern Italy
85 employees:
Researcher, engineers, designers & innovation
managers
SKILLS
•Materials and Structures engineering
•Computer science and engineering
•Industrial design
One of 50 (out 5100)
research organizations
with more than 50
employees in Italy
One of the biggest
research center not linked
to a Great Enterprise
One of 50 (out 5100)
research organizations
with more than 50
employees in Italy
One of the biggest
research center not linked
to a Great Enterprise

3. CETMA is located in the area of “Cittadella della Ricerca” close to Brindisi.
Laboratories and offices take up about 5.000 sq.mt
A well equipped laboratory of advanced materials tecnologies
One of the biggest Virtual Reality Center in Europe
A prototyping laboratory

4. Knowledge and skills acquired
from our independent research projects
are transferred to our customers by
means high qualification services
Profits coming from services are totally
re-invested to co-fund research
projects
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& Academy
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5. CETMA Research activities are compliant
with main trends of new productions
Reduction of energy consumption
Reducing ecological impact
More and more «smart» products
Products increasingly interconnected

6. The role of materials
Reduction of energy consumption
•Materials for more efficient power generation
•Materials for lighter transportations
Reducing ecological impact
•Recycling
•Recycled materials utilizing
•Bio-based materials
More and more «smart» products
•Multifunctional materials
•Processes to integrate electronic
component and materials
Products increasingly interconnected
•Processes to integrate tag and trasponder
CETMA IS VERY INVOLVED IN ALL THESE ACTIVITIES

7. Materials for Lighter Transportation
10% weight reduction → 7% fuel consumption

8. Target for passenger car weight reduction

9. Materials for weight reduction
CETMA is working since 15 years about Composites in
CETMA is working since 15 years about Composites in
order to exploit their potential
order to exploit their potential

10. Gaps to overcome for a fully exploitation of
composites
1. Raw materials cost
2. Lack of knowledge about materials
behavior and predictive methods
3. Cost-effective Manufacturing processes
4. Joining techniques
5. Lack of knowledge about defect
detection
6. Recycling

11. Raw materials cost
All over the world there are initiatives in order to improve production
processes of carbon fiber and there are setting up joint ventures to
increase the production.
Fibre recuperate con processo batch Fibre recuperate con processo continuo
Fig. 4: Materiale recuperato
Another way: recovered fibers
Fibre recuperate con il processo ENEA Materiale vergine
Fig. 5: Micrografia SEM del materiale recuperato in confronto al materiale vergine
ENEA, Karborek and
CETMA are setting-up a
partnership to exploit
recovered carbon fiber

12. Knowledge about composite behavior and
predictive methods
• Composite materials are a product of human
ingenuity and not a natural product.
• Their behavior can not be represented with few
parameters. In addition, the behavior is strongly
influenced by the processes of production
• A correct approach of design and engineering of
composite parts is multidisciplinary

13. Typical design approach for composite materials
The integration of experimental
characterization and numerical
tools is essential to fully exploit
the potential of composites

15. Cost-effective Manufacturing processes
Out of autoclave
technologies
Compression moulding of thermoplastic
composites
Induction welding
Advanced liquid moulding technologies
Other processes
Vacuum bag of out of autoclave prepregs
Sheet moulding compound
Bladder Moulding

16. Investigated
Processes-1

17. Investigated
Processes-2

18. Investigated
Processes-3
Sheet and Bulk Molding
Bladder Molding

19. Joining techniques
One of the limitations of thermoplastic composites is impossible to obtain
complex shapes as for the autoclave.
For these reasons it is of fundamental importance the definition of new
systems of junction with high performance.
CETMA has developed along with Sinergo a new machine for induction
welding of thermoplastics. In this technique an electromagnetic field at
high frequency is used to weld the thermoplastic component by the Joule
effect.
Nuova saldatrice ad induzione
realizzata al CETMA
Principio fisico dell’induction
welding

20. CETMA is one of the few
research centers in the world
capable of performing
continuous induction welding
of thermoplastic composites,
even on complex geometries
Outstanding values of single lap shear
strength were found for carbon-PEEK,
carbon PEI and carbon PPS joinings

21. Composite Defect detection
InfraRed Thermography is a non - contact and non - destructive method, which
provides rapid visual information about the structural integrity of a component
Impact Fault
Honeycomb
CFRP
Delamination
Hybrid GFRP sample with SMA
Void/detachment
CFRP

22. Recycling
A gap to overcome for an
enhanced utilization of composites
concerning recycling issue.
A present trend aims to use more
and more thermoplastics
composites
However some other solutions
concerning utilization of composite
waste for other sector (i.e.
building)
CETMA carries out activities on
recycling processes, technologies
and new applications of recycled
materials

23. Bio-based Composites
Development of new bio-based
composites is a response to the
growing demand for so-called
environmentally friendly materials.
Bio-based composites can have matrix
and/or fiber coming from renewable
resources.
There is an increasing use of bio-based
composites in non-structural part in the
automotive
However, recent developments have
shown that some physical-mechanical
properties of biocomposites are
comparable with lower performance
composites properties (Glass FRP).
Typical Natural fiber
•Flax
•Cellulose
•Jute
•Hemp
•Coconut
•Bamboo
Example of Natural
Resin
•Pine oil
•Castor oil
•Soybean oil
Some applications in Mercedes

24. Biobased composites: some CETMA case studies

25. Smart materials
Cetma is working on processes
to integrate Bragg fiber into
composite materials in order to
detect continously structural
health

26. Conclusions
• Composite materials can contribute to make transportation more
sustainable
• Fully exploitation of potential and advantages of composites
• The full exploitation of the potential benefits of composite materials
requires an approach consisting of multidisciplinary and integrated
competencies
• In Apulia, Cetma has created a center of expertise capable of
addressing all the issues of product development in composite
materials. These skills are further enhanced by the network in
which this center operates as a connection link.
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& Academy
Equipments
Supplier
Industrial user
Material
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