Body construction rethought - PLUCC
Rigid body constructions, as are common today, complicate the necessary flexibility with regard to variable passenger transport concepts, which are required to cover different capacity requirements. A combination of autonomous driving and high flexibility in passenger transport must therefore be taken into account.
The bodywork study developed by 3Pman GmbH shows ways for the needs of a new bodywork generation.
The lightweight structure system can be used for all drive modules (e-vehicles and conventional combustion engines), whereby only a few connecting elements are required for implementation.
PLUCC - the modular body connector system
The modular designs currently used in vehicle construction are platform-based derivatives in space-frame technology.
With PLUCC, individual components or assemblies can be combined with each other using the patented quick-connect system.
PLUCC is not a classic platform, but individual components of an assembly, such as a front end or floor assembly, are exchanged in order to build a smaller, larger, more narrow or wider vehicle.
The interchangeable components are connected with an identical closure part (PLUCC-connection).
This modularity also offers repairs, as well as when installing or converting different drive concepts.
This modularity also offers economic advantages in case of repairs, as well as when installing or converting different drive concepts
The PLUCC system in detail
With the PLUCC connection system, at least two components are form locked connected into each other and then fixed with a screw-type in accordance with the necessary rigidity.
The system is then ready for immediate use and can withstand all previously designed load cases.
In case of disassembly, the plug-in system can be reassembled to its original condition without loss of rigidity.
In principle, any number of components of different topology can be put together depending on the desired body.
Safety and bodywork requirements
Of course, this aspect also plays an important role at PLUCC.
The system is designed according to all approval-relevant aspects, and is adapted to the use of the vehicle.
Vehicles equipped with PLUCC technology receive a basic set-up that includes all major body developments, thus also taking the NVH aspect into account.
Vehicle construction and other fields of application
Due to its variable application, PLUCC allows a wide range of applications in vehicle construction and beyond.
Since both the design of the components and the technical parameters are designed to be highly flexible due to the special design, all applications in vehicle construction can be implemented equally.
In order to take future technological orientations into account, the body systems are geared towards future mobility concepts such as electric and hybrid drives.
PLUCC can support these new concepts, but also has the aspiration to fully cover current drive concepts established on the market.
This includes the development of passenger transport systems such as buses, as well as the construction of commercial vehicles with bodies, trailers and the corresponding basic chassis.
There is further potential in special vehicle construction, such as rescue vehicles, cranes or excavators.
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The next steps
The focus is on the timely implementation of a functional and economical chassis that shows the advantages of the PLUCC construction design.
In addition to the selection of a suitable body system, the appropriate drive will be selected and the choice of material is tailored to the requirements to achieve the highest possible degree of lightweight construction.
In this context, we want to work with complementary partners to achieve the next development steps to a mobile system and provide proof of an economic implementation.
Application of materials
PLUCC is designed as a fundamentally material-independent system.
The use of metal and fiber composite or material hybrid construction methods is conceivable.
The simple design of PLUCC is predestined for fiber composite technology, but none of the established laying processes should be used due to the high costs.
Different metal constructions in steel and aluminum are also conceivable, whereby construction-specific boundary conditions must be considered in order to be able to design as thin-walled as possible.
Use of 3D printing technology for production
The use of 3D printing technology for PLUCC would be ideal, but it is currently only of limited use, even according to the latest technical standards
The use of 3D printing would place the application of the PLUCC system on a significantly higher value in terms of flexibility, since the core of the development symbolizes this high flexibility.
High freedom of design
The unified joint mechanism allows assemblies or components such as profiles of a front end to have any arbitrary shape.
This allows component topologies to be adapted in terms of optic requests and load-related requirements.
This would allow the lightweight construction to be implemented much faster through the targeted use of individual elements.