Solvay (Brussels / Belgium; www.solvay.com) has developed a thermoset prepreg resin system, “SolvaLite” 730, for high-volume automotive applications. The company says the material, formulated with Reichhold (Research Triangle Park, North Carolina / USA; www.reichhold.com) “Advalite” resin, allows high flexibility in processing and enables the efficient manufacturing of different types of components at high rates. It has a sub 60 second cure capability, making it suitable for high-volume structural applications, and also has improved toughness compared with other available rapid cure systems, low tack and can be stored at room temperature, it adds.

There is strong demand for press forming prepregs for high-volume applications, says Solvay. Last year, the company said BMW selected SolvaLite 760 for its “M4 GTS” hood as it offered the correct balance of design freedom and lightweighting.