MEL Composites has announced the successful advancement of its collaboration with leading Spanish bus and coach manufacturer Carrocerías Ayats, highlighting how proven composite technologies from the sporting goods sector can revolutionize vehicle design.

The partnership focuses on developing lightweight Rohacryl foam sandwich composite window frame covers, delivering up to 80% weight savings compared to traditional foam elastomer parts. This significant reduction supports Ayats’ strategy to lower vehicle weight and improve efficiency in line with EU regulatory targets, ultimately increasing passenger capacity without compromising performance.

Ayats, renowned for pioneering achievements such as becoming the first European manufacturer to secure r.66 tilt test certification for double-decker coaches, identified a strategic opportunity after acquiring Karbon Design, a Barcelona-based carbon padel racquet producer. With over a decade of collaboration supporting Karbon Design’s rapid growth, MEL Composites adapted established resin infusion and core processing techniques for automotive-scale applications.

The project began with a detailed analysis of selected window frame covers for composite conversion. MEL Composites engineered bespoke tooling, combining aluminium and tooling board moulds, and innovatively merged two separate parts into a single mould, streamlining production. Early prototypes incorporated solid laminates and 1mm Rohacryl cored sandwich structures, with in-house slicing of core materials to optimize performance and consistency.

Looking ahead, production volumes are set to transition to light RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) and press moulding processes, supporting Ayats’ drive toward scalable, automated manufacturing.

Throughout the development, MEL Composites contributed critical expertise in tooling surface refinement, part design enhancements, and process automation, enabling Ayats to achieve a cost-effective, future-ready solution.

“This project is a testament to how proven composite technologies from other sectors, like sporting goods, can be adapted to meet the unique challenges of the automotive industry,” said a MEL Composites spokesperson. “It has been a pleasure working with Carrocerías Ayats to develop components that are lightweight, low-risk, and suitable for future automated production. We’re excited about the potential for further collaboration and expanded composite integration in their next-generation vehicles.”

Source: www.bcomp.com