Engineering & Design

TPI’s engineering team utilizes industry leading tools to design and develop innovative structural composite parts ranging from single parts to a complete vehicle body-in-white. Our design team partners with each customer to fully understand the requirements, quickly developing an innovative initial design. A 3-D model is created utilizing various CAD software (matching the customer’s system) and simulation performed to optimize the composite structure while meeting the customer’s expectations. Manufacturing tooling and simulations are utilized to ensure streamlined processing.

The molding technology that is selected for each part is determined by various criteria: annual volume, performance requirements, physical size, as well as cost. TPI Automotive produces parts using these technologies in various fabrics (carbon fiber or glass) and resins:

  • Liquid Compression Molding (LCM),
  • Sheet Molding Compound (SMC),
  • High Pressure Resin Transfer Molding (HPRTM),
  • Light Resin Transfer Molding (LRTM),
  • Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM)
  • Pultrusion

TPI’s Innovation Team is driving the next phase of products for the company. Ongoing work includes:

  • New materials
  • Innovative molding techniques,
  • Combinations of current manufacturing and assembly techniques.

Prototype and low volume production are built in TPI’s newly updated Innovation & Technology Center located in Rhode Island.

TPI’s Automotive Quality Management System conforms with IATF 16949:2016 for the design and manufacturing of composite products. The individual program scope of our responsibility ranges from build to print applications, to complete design and development responsible. When we are design and development responsible, we use the latest engineering analysis tools and physical validation to confirm the conformance of the materials and designs to our customer’s specifications. For all applications, our customers also complete subsystem and complete vehicle validation to ensure their specifications, along with all regulatory requirements, are satisfied.