SPE ACCE 2019 announces third keynote

 

The executive planning committee for the SPE Automotive Composites Conference & Expo (ACCE) has announced the event’s third keynote speaker.  SPE ACCE will be held September 4 – 6, 2019 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich., U.S. 

Edward D. Moss, Engineering Group Manager (EGM) for Corvette Body Structure, will present “Composites on the New Chevrolet Corvette.” The presentation will highlight the use of composites on the new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The 2020 Stingray maintains Corvette’s signature aluminum frame, innovative Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) and carbon fiber underbody components and the SPE award-winning lightweight exterior SMC body panels.

“The Corvette continues to lead the automotive industry in the use of lightweight composites,” says Moss. “Precise and powerful, the Corvette Stingray has been redesigned from the ground up to deliver a thrill on every drive,” added Moss.  

The body structure boasts many innovative elements to become the stiffest Corvette ever, utilizing lightweight composites to integrate functional elements into its form. The 2020 Stingray introduces the automotive industry’s first curved, multi-hollow, pultruded carbon fiber bumper beam. 

The new Corvette also offers class-leading storage for a mid-engine vehicle.  It features front and rear storage units that are constructed of an industry-first “Float SMC,” which boasts a specific gravity less than 1.0. The all-new LT2 V-8 engine, is visible through a large window mounted to the low-density SMC rear hatch.  

About SPE ACCE

In addition to daily keynote presentations, the three-day conference features approximately 80 technical presentations, 2-3 panel discussions, networking opportunities and over 100 sponsors with approximately 80 exhibiting advances in materials, processes and equipment for both thermoset and thermoplastic composites in a wide variety of transportation applications.

The Automotive and Composites Divisions of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE, Bethel, Conn., U.S.) jointly produce the ACCE to educate the industry about the benefits of composites in automotive, light and heavy-duty truck, off-highway vehicles and other ground transportation applications.   

The technical presentations (30 min. ea.) are organized into the following categories: Advances in Thermoplastic Composites, Advances in Thermoset Composites, Virtual Prototyping, Testing & Modeling, Reinforcement Technologies, Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing, Nanocomposites, Enabling Technologies, Sustainable Composites, Bonding, Joining & Finishing, Opportunities & Challenges with Carbon Composites, and Business Trends & Technology Solutions.

“Composites – Forming the Future of Transportation Worldwide,” is the theme for this year’s event reflecting the growing global interest transportation OEMs have in learning about the latest plastic composites technologies. The 2019 ACCE is co-chaired by Dr. Alper Kiziltas, technical expert, Ford Motor Company (Dearborn, Mich., U.S.P and SPE Automotive Div. vice-chair & education committee chair and Matthew E. Carroll, materials engineering, General Motors Company (Detroit, Mich., U.S.) and former SPE Automotive Div. chair.  

The technical program is co-chaired by Dr. David Jack, associate professor, Mechanical Engineering at Baylor University and Dr. Leonardo Simon, professor, Chemical Engineering at Waterloo University.  

For more information or to register visit http://speautomotive.com/acce-conference.