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Global Experts Unite:
Engineering the Future of Lightweight Structures: Structural Reinforcement Without Ovens at Car Body Xperience 2026.
On April 21–22, 2026, automotive body engineers, BIW architects, materials specialists, and manufacturing innovators gathered in Rochester, Michigan for Car Body Xperience 2026 — one of the industry’s most engineering-focused events dedicated to the future of body in white design.
L&L Products research engineer, Kevin Cox, presented new scientific insights on how hybrid polymerization enables ambient cure structural foams to achieve high glass transition temperatures, strong modulus retention, and crash relevant reinforcement — all without relying on high temperature ovens.
His work addresses a central challenge facing modern BIW engineering: How can we provide a structural, ambient-cure alternative to heat-cured materials in a world moving toward low energy, no‑bake manufacturing?
Global Expert Unite
Engineering the Future of Lightweight Structures: Structural Reinforcement Without Ovens at Car Body Xperience 2026
On April 21–22, 2026, automotive body engineers, BIW architects, materials specialists, and manufacturing innovators gathered in Rochester, Michigan for Car Body Xperience 2026 — one of the industry’s most engineering-focused events dedicated to the future of body in white design.
L&L Products research engineer, Kevin Cox, presented new scientific insights on how hybrid polymerization enables ambient cure structural foams to achieve high glass transition temperatures, strong modulus retention, and crash relevant reinforcement — all without relying on high temperature ovens.
His work addresses a central challenge facing modern BIW engineering: How can we provide a structural, ambient-cure alternative to heat-cured materials in a world moving toward low energy, no‑bake manufacturing?
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An Expert Gathering for Body in White Innovation
Car Body Xperience by Automotive Circle, brings together BIW engineers from leading OEMs and suppliers for two days of deep technical exchange, hands on body in white benchmarking, and engineering to engineering dialogue.
Topics Spanned: Lightweight architectures and mixed material strategies | Advanced steel and hybrid structural solutions | Battery enclosure engineering | Joining and reinforcement technologies | Manufacturability and production realities| Crash performance and stiffness optimization | Low energy and no bake BIW processes
The L&L Contribution: High Tg Ambient Cure Reinforcement Through Hybrid Polymerization – PHASTER XP-K606
During the conference, Kevin Cox presented L&L’s latest research on ambient cure structural reinforcement PHASTER XP-K606 material designed for hollow sections, crash critical zones, and localized stiffness optimization. His presentation addressed a fundamental industry question: Can ambient cure foams deliver the high temperature performance and structural contribution traditionally associated with heat-activated systems — without the oven? Through detailed chemistry explanation, mechanical testing, and CAE correlation, Kevin demonstrated how hybrid polymerization creates a dual network thermoset capable of:
- Achieving Tg above 100°C
- Retaining 70–80% modulus at 80°C
- Reinforcing hollow structures with minimal weight increase
- Providing predictable crash energy absorption
- Integrating seamlessly into low energy BIW manufacturing
Key Insights
- How hybrid polymerization combines phosphate–epoxy reactions with methacrylate radical polymerization
- The role of dual network crosslinking in achieving high temperature performance
- How localized reinforcement can replace steel up‑gauging in hollow sections
- 3‑point bend results showing ~47% increase in energy absorption with minimal mass penalty
- CAE to test correlation within 5–7% for predictable engineering outcomes
- Implications for lightweight BIW architectures and no bake manufacturing lines
About the Author
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Kevin Cox
Research Engineer
Kevin Cox is a Research Engineer at L&L Products, specializing in the development of ambient-cured materials, ranging from structural reinforcement to sealing applications. His work focuses on polymer chemistry, hybrid polymerization mechanisms, and structure–property relationships that enable high-performance materials to cure at ambient temperature. Kevin leads programs spanning formulation development, mechanical testing, CAE correlation, and application engineering for hollow section reinforcement and crash relevant structures. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and has contributed to multiple internal research initiatives advancing lightweight structural solutions for next generation vehicles.
About the Author
L&L Expert Talks
Stay tuned for our next topic
"*" indicates required fields
Kevin Cox
Research Engineer
Kevin Cox is a Research Engineer at L&L Products, specializing in the development of ambient-cured materials, ranging from structural reinforcement to sealing applications. His work focuses on polymer chemistry, hybrid polymerization mechanisms, and structure–property relationships that enable high-performance materials to cure at ambient temperature. Kevin leads programs spanning formulation development, mechanical testing, CAE correlation, and application engineering for hollow section reinforcement and crash relevant structures. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and has contributed to multiple internal research initiatives advancing lightweight structural solutions for next generation vehicles.