Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are considered a high-tech material with outstanding properties: lightweight, highly rigid, corrosion-resistant and extremely durable. However, despite these impressive advantages, many companies are reluctant to use carbon in their applications. This is often due to the perceived high costs, uncertainties in design or simply a lack of experience in working with fiber composites.
It is worth taking a closer look: Under the right conditions, carbon can not only be technically convincing, but also clearly the better choice economically. The question is therefore not only whether, but when, the use of carbon actually pays off.
In this article, we show when the use of carbon is economically viable, which factors influence the costs, how companies can benefit from targeted lightweight construction – and why a change of perspective in material selection can pay off in the long term.
Why the total costs over the life cycle are more important than the raw material price – and how CFRP creates real economic benefits in the system context.
Compared to traditional materials such as aluminum or steel, the raw material costs of CFRP appear high at first glance. However, the economic consideration should not end with the material costs. The decisive factor is the system costs over the entire life cycle of a product or assembly.
This is because carbon is not only lightweight, but also dimensionally stable, durable, low-vibration and low-maintenance. Anyone who includes these advantages in the overall calculation quickly realizes that CFRP can help to significantly reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) – especially in applications with high demands on precision, dynamics or energy efficiency.
A common misunderstanding is the direct 1:1 calculation of a CFRP component based on the raw material costs. Much more important is the question: What functional and economic added value does the carbon component deliver in the system context?
1. highly dynamic machine axes
CFRP significantly reduces the moving mass and therefore enables higher acceleration with lower drive force. The result: greater dynamics, lower energy consumption, less wear and shorter cycle times. A tangible competitive advantage, especially in special machine construction and automated production lines.
2. precision carrier in measurement technology
Carbon offers excellent dimensional stability under changing environmental conditions. Thanks to the low coefficient of thermal expansion, a CFRP carrier remains dimensionally stable even when exposed to temperature fluctuations. This means less calibration work, consistent quality and less production downtime due to readjustment.
3. mobile or flying systems
Less weight means more range, lower operating costs or a higher payload. In drone technology, mobile robots and the automotive sector in particular, there is often no alternative to the use of carbon when maximum efficiency and performance are required.
4. automation & robotics
Thanks to its lightweight design, carbon enables longer ranges with the same payload or, conversely, higher payloads with the same range. In addition, the reduced inertia improves the control behavior, which results in better cycle times and process reliability.
The economic advantages of CFRP go far beyond simply saving mass. A selection:
Series size: While CFRP is often already worthwhile for small series (e.g. in mechanical engineering, special production or prototype phases), a very attractive price-performance ratio can be achieved for larger quantities using automated processes such as RTM (resin transfer molding), pultrusion or winding technology.
Design to cost: One of the keys to cost-effectiveness lies in designing for the material. If you design components for carbon from the outset, you can make optimum use of the material. This minimizes material usage, production costs and rework, while at the same time integrating functional and structural advantages.
Manufacturing processes and possibilities at Carbon Components GmbH & Co. KG: In addition to classic processes such as prepreg, vacuum infusion or autoclave technology, Carbon Components GmbH & Co. KG also offers high-precision carbon milled parts and complex assembly solutions. This means that both individual components and ready-to-assemble systems can be produced economically. Our modern CNC milling centers enable the post-processing of CFRP with tight tolerances – ideal for mechanical engineering, metrology or applications with the highest demands on precision and quality.
In addition, we offer the integration of inserts, connecting elements, sandwich structures or hybrid solutions with aluminum and stainless steel – and thus create practical components that fit seamlessly into existing systems.
Using synergy effects: CFRP components can often take on additional functions: Insulating properties, damping, structurally integrated cables or thermal decoupling. If you take this into account, you save elsewhere and improve the overall balance.
A machine manufacturer replaces an aluminum crossbeam in a pick-and-place system with a CFRP solution. The result: 60% less weight, 25% energy savings for the drives, consistent rigidity and low vibration. Thanks to the reduced downtimes and higher positioning accuracy, the reject rate was also reduced by 12%. The return on investment (ROI) was achieved after just 1.5 years – with improved process quality at the same time.
Carbon doesn’t have to be expensive – if you do it right. The use of CFRP can quickly pay off, especially in applications with high requirements in terms of weight, rigidity, service life or dynamics. If you look beyond traditional materials, you will discover potential for reducing costs, increasing performance and differentiating yourself from the competition.
Carbon is not an end in itself – but a strategic material for economic and technological progress.
Contact us for a non-binding potential analysis. Together we will check whether your application can benefit from the use of modern fiber composite technology – both technically and economically.