Liftgate design puts modified filament winding to the test
Automotive liftgates, or rear-hatch doors, have slowly been transitioning from metals to composites for decades. While it wasn’t until 2013 that the first all-plastic/composite liftgate, minus metal support structure, was commercialized, most liftgates today still feature this support component on which outer skins and inner panels are attached, particularly on larger, heavier sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and crossover-utility vehicles (CUVs) with bigger rear doors. However, what may well be the next evolution in composite liftgates debuted in 2019 on the Toyota Supra...