Ferrari F430’s award-winning prototype engine air box adopts the advanced resin transfer molding system (Advanced RTM) jointly developed by the ATR Group and Huntsman advanced materials.

The XB 3583 / aradur3486 / LMB 6432 new epoxy resin system introduced by advanced RTM technology and Huntsman advanced materials can produce a complex engine air box prototype. The process has won the JEC innovation award of the China composite exhibition in 2006.

Ferrari engine air box

The ATR-advanced RTM process combined with Huntsman’s resin system XB 3585 / aradur3486 / LMB 6432 is highly innovative. It can produce detailed composite parts in one step and reduce the weight of parts by reducing the amount of resin.

The weight of the prototype Ferrari F430 engine airbox is almost half that of the original aluminum airbox – reduced from 4.1kg to 2.4kg.

This is because a special flexible silicone film is used instead of the usual metal RTM Mold, which reduces the amount of resin and improves the content of reinforcing fiber.

Although the prototype parts are very complex, the parts produced using this advanced RTM system are extremely accurate. In addition, there is no need to add additional connecting parts such as plug-ins and external auxiliary structures, because they have been formed in the mold in the RTM process.