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Mitsui Chemicals, ARRK Supply Materials for High-Performance Concept Car

TAFNEX™ CF/PP and 3D-printed components developed by the Mitsui Chemicals Group find application in Toyota Fortuner-based car designed by TCD ASIA

2024.06.26

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
ARRK Corporation

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo: 4183; President & CEO: HASHIMOTO Osamu) and subsidiary ARRK Corporation (Osaka; President & CEO: MOROZUMI Naoki) today announced that materials developed by the two companies have been employed in a high-performance concept car based on the Toyota Fortuner. Direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components*1 jointly developed by Mitsui Chemicals and ARRK, and TAFNEX CF/PP*2 – a unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene resin sheet developed by Mitsui Chemicals – have found application in the TOYOTA Hyper-F CONCEPT, which has been designed by TCD ASIA CO., LTD.*3 (Bangkok, Thailand; President: KAWAZOE Takayuki).

 

TAFNEX CF/PP and the newly developed direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components will be exhibited at Bangkok Auto Salon 2024, a custom car show taking place in the Thai capital from June 26–30, and at Bangsaen Grand Prix 2024, a car race that will be held on the outskirts of Bangkok from July 3–7.

TAFNEX™ CF/PP and 3D-printed components find application in the TOYOTA Hyper-F CONCEPT TAFNEX™ CF/PP and 3D-printed components find application in the TOYOTA Hyper-F CONCEPT

The TOYOTA Hyper-F CONCEPT is a high-performance concept model with a styling design that incorporates the road handling and aerodynamic performance cultivated in the racing field by TCD ASIA’s motorsport business. The new materials have enabled the company to further reduce the concept car’s weight. In addition, the fitting of four sport seats provides a new mode of enjoyment that users cannot experience in a two-seater vehicle.

 

TAFNEX CF/PP has been used for decorative components on part of the front bumper and the hood air vents, while the direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components are fitted to the hood air duct bezels.

Hood air duct bezels (the direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components) Hood air duct bezels (the direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components)
Decorative components on part of the front bumper(TAFNEX®CF/PP) Decorative components on part of the front bumper(TAFNEX®CF/PP)

*1 Direct pellet-fed 3D-printed components

In 2020, Mitsui Chemicals launched an investment and business alliance with Dreams Design Corporation (Nagoya, Aichi; Representative Director: OKUMURA Yasuyuki), an engineering service provider focused on automobile development. Then, in 2023, Mitsui Chemicals embarked on a similar investment and business alliance with ExtraBold Inc. (Toshima-ku, Tokyo; CEO: HARA Yuji), a manufacturer of direct pellet-fed 3D printers.

 

The 3D-printed components fitted to the concept car bring together the auto part design technology of Dreams Design; ExtraBold’s EXF-12 3D printer, which delivers high-speed printing of large parts; the 3D printing and post-processing technologies of ARRK, one of Japan’s largest product development support companies in this industry, offering everything from prototyping to mass production; and the polyolefin-based composite technology being developed by Mitsui Chemicals for use in 3D printing.

 

Applying mechanisms used in injection molding, direct pellet-fed 3D printers form structures directly from plastic pellets. The advantage of this approach over conventional 3D printers is a stable increase in the quantity of plastic discharged, thereby enabling large structures to be formed quickly. When used in the high-mix, low-volume mass production of 3D-printed items, the dieless technique helps to reduce both development lead times and the initial investment required, including die costs. In addition, the technology is expected to contribute to the circular economy, as the 3D-printed items can be crushed into pellets and recycled as raw materials for further 3D printing.

*2 TAFNEX™ CF/PP

*3 TCD ASIA CO., LTD. is a Thai subsidiary of TOYOTA CUSTOMIZING & DEVELOPMENT Co., Ltd.

For inquiries about this matter, please contact: 

Corporate Communications Division, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
New Markets Creation Department, New Business Creation Division, ARRK Corporation

For inquiries about TAFNEX™ CF/PP or 3D-printed components, please contact: 

Mobility Solutions Development Division, Mobility Solutions Business Sector, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
(3D-printed components)