Crashworthy Carbon Fiber Composite Drive Shaft
2003 NIssan 350Z


Nominee Number: 17 Result: Finalist
Category: Powertrain Description: Crashworthy Carbon Fiber Composite Drive Shaft
OEM: Nissan Model: 350Z
Model Year: 2003 System Supplier: Hitachi Unisia
System Contact: Toray Industries, Inc. System Phone: -
Model/Processor: - Molder Contact: -
Molder Phone: - Toolmaker: -
Tool Contact: - Tool Phone: -
Material Supplier: Toray Industries, Inc; Yuka Shell Material Contact: -
Material Phone: - Generic Resin Type: Epoxy
Resin Trade Name: - Grade: -
OEM Engineer: - OEM Title: -
OEM Phone: - Name of Nominee: Tetsuyuki Kyono
Nominee's Company: Toray Composites (America), Inc. Nominee's Address: 19002 50th Ave E
Tacoma, WA 98446
Nominee's Phone: 253-846-3883 Nominee's Fax: 253-846-3163
Nominee's Email: tkyono@toraycompam.com    
Summary: Composite drive shaft produced from joining technology combined with optimized fiber winding lay-up pattern that is crashable along the longitudinal axis.  Weight savings: 40-50% compared to 3 joint steel drive shaft.
Most Innovative Feature: Composite-steel yoke Joining technology combined with optimized fiber winding lay-up pattern which makes composite drive shaft crashable along the longitudinal axis.  
Other Innovative Features: Weight reduction, Reduction in NVH.
What Forming Process? Filament Winding.
First Time Process Used: No. Process itself for making a tube is common.
Previous Process: Material : Carbon Fiber, Epoxy, Process : Filament Winding or Pull Winding for making a composite tube.
Tooling Innovations: No special tooling innovations are required to make a composite tube. 
New Material Developments: Carbon Fiber "TORAYCA T700S" families having slightly higher Young's Modulus than standard modulus fiber has been developed.
Weight Savings: Approximately 40- 50% compared with 3 joint steel drive shaft.
Cost Savings: N/A.
Cost Avoidance: N/A.
Direct Consumer Benefit: Weight saving, Reduced NVH, Crashworthiness in axial direction (safety).
Translates to Other Vehicles?: Yes. It has already been applied to Mitsubishi Montero and Mazda RX-8 in addition to Nissan 350Z.
Safety Benefits: Significantly reduce peak load during head collision of a vehicle.
Environmental Benefits: N/A.
Additional Comments: No concern about durability because NO ADHESIVE is used for the joining technology. Completely mechanically jointed. Patent protected in US, Europe and Japan.