Advancing Lightweight Mobility through Thermoplastic Composites
Jota Machinery provides continuous-fiber reinforced thermoplastic solutions engineered for the next generation of mobility.
Our technologies combine lightweight efficiency, impact durability, and high-volume manufacturability, enabling automakers to replace traditional metals with recyclable materials that perform under real-world conditions.
From battery enclosures and bumper beams to seat frames and underbody panels, our equipment supports full-cycle production — from impregnation and slitting to forming, overmolding, and welding.
Each solution is designed to help manufacturers reduce vehicle mass, lower emissions, and achieve circular manufacturing goals without compromising strength or speed.
The Automotive Industry Is Redefining What Strength Means
The global shift toward electric mobility and carbon neutrality is reshaping material priorities.
Automakers now require structures that are lighter, stronger, and fully recyclable without compromising cost or cycle time.
Traditional metals are approaching their physical and environmental limits.
Under modern efficiency and ESG standards, every kilogram saved translates to greater range, lower energy consumption, and reduced CO₂ emissions.
Thermoplastic composites introduce a new engineering paradigm — combining moldable strength, rapid processing, and closed-loop recyclability that align with the pace of automotive production.
Pain Points in Automotive Lightweighting
Steel and aluminum add unnecessary mass to structural components. By adopting continuous-fiber thermoplastic composites, automakers can achieve 30–70% weight reduction while preserving stiffness and impact resistance — extending EV range and improving handling dynamics.
Conventional thermoset composites require long curing cycles, often measured in hours. In contrast, thermoplastic composites form in just 1–3 minutes, meeting automotive takt-time demands and supporting fully automated production lines.
Thermoset materials are non-recyclable and typically become landfill waste.
Thermoplastics can be re-melted, re-shaped, and reused, creating a closed-loop manufacturing cycle that supports OEM ESG and circular economy goals.
Metal or multi-piece assemblies increase cost due to added labor, fasteners, and welding.
Organosheet + overmolding integration allows part consolidation — fewer joints, fewer tools, and lower total system cost without compromising structural integrity.
Our Automotive Composite Solutions
From simulation to pilot lines, we turn composite concepts into real automotive parts.
Our engineers and R&D teams integrate materials, machinery, and manufacturing expertise — ensuring every program meets your weight, cost, and sustainability targets.
Comprehensive Solutions for Automotive Lightweighting
Battery Enclosures & Floors
PP or PA66 sandwich structures for stiff, flame-resistant modules — up to 60 % weight savings.
Brake Pedals & Safety Parts
CF/PA organosheets over-molded with short fiber PA — 50 % lighter and tested to 3 000 N.
B-Pillars & Body-in-White Reinforcements
Tailored UD tape stacks and laser joined hybrids for energy absorption and side-impact strength.
Underbody & Engine Covers
GF/PP organosheets molded in 2 minutes — 60 % mass reduction and improved aerodynamics.
Bumper Beams & Crash Modules
PA6/CF or PP/GF beams absorb 40 % more energy than UHSS steel.
Roof & Hood Panels
Class-A sandwich skins with organosheet inners for beautiful finish and recyclable design.
Performance & Results That Drive the Future of Mobility
30–70 % vs. metal
1 – 3 min forming / overmold
40 % higher than UHSS
> 3 000 N load on CF/PA pedal
Up to 50 % vs. steel production
How Continuous-Fiber Thermoplastic Composites Are Made
| Stage | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Fiber Preparation & Impregnation | Continuous carbon or glass fibers are uniformly coated with thermoplastic resin (PP, PA6, PET, or PPS) using controlled tension and temperature to ensure complete wet-out and fiber alignment. |
| 2️⃣ | Organosheet & UD Tape Consolidation | Fibers are pressed into thin, homogeneous laminates or unidirectional tapes. These semi-finished sheets enable tailor-made lay-ups for structural zones and stiffness optimization. |
| 3️⃣ | Forming & Overmolding | Heated organosheets are shaped within 1–3 minutes. Functional features such as ribs or clips are added via overmolding in a single shot, combining geometry and strength. |
| 4️⃣ | Hybrid Joining & Welding | Composites are joined with metals or other composites using induction, laser, or resistance welding. The result is a sealed, repairable, and high-strength bond. |
| 5️⃣ | Inspection & Circular Recycling | Vision systems and in-mold sensors ensure dimensional precision and surface quality. Trimmed scrap is re-melted and re-used in the overmolding feedstock for closed-loop sustainability. |
Manufacturing Process & Technology
Turning Lightweight Ambitions into Measurable Results
Every automaker today faces the same paradox: make cars lighter without raising cost, and make production greener without slowing throughput.
At Jota, we bridge that gap with continuous-fiber thermoplastic composites—materials that combine structural stiffness with recyclability and manufacturing speed.
Our engineers design beyond material datasheets.
We start from your duty cycle, temperature window, and crash load, then propose a laminate stack-up and process that fits your line speed and investment goals.
From the prepreg machine to organosheet forming, from tape-laying automation to hybrid welding, every technology is chosen to simplify your transition—not complicate it.
The result?
Lightweight structures that integrate into existing body shops, achieve cycle parity with metals, and contribute directly to your CO₂ reduction and circular manufacturing goals.
Every kilogram matters. Every cycle minute counts. Every project deserves measurable proof.
Real-World Applications of Thermoplastic Composites
01
Brake & Pedal Systems
In controlled production trials, continuous-fiber thermoplastic pedals achieved 50 % lower mass than steel while maintaining full load performance.
The forming and overmolding process reached 2-minute cycles, demonstrating compatibility with automotive takt times.
02
Underbody Protection
Glass-fiber-reinforced PP panels produced through low-pressure compression molding achieved >60 % mass reduction and improved aerodynamic drag and noise damping.
Regrind from edge trim was successfully reused, confirming closed-loop processing.
03
Battery Module Structures
A sandwich configuration using PP/PET and continuous glass fibers reduced floor weight by 55 % and increased stiffness by 40 % compared with aluminum.
The design passed thermal-cycling and impact validation under simulated EV conditions.