In 2003, the BMW Group developed a longboard called "StreetCarver". The idea behind this product was to bring the perfect carving feeling of surf- and snowboarding on the streets by increasing the maneuverability of classical skateboard trucks. The outcome was a chassis based on complex kinematics. The negative side effect was the StreetCarver`s exceptional high weight of almost 8 kg. The main reason for this heaviness was the choice of traditional metallic engineering materials. In this research, modern fiber reinforced composites were used to lower the chassis` mass by up to 50% to reach the weight of a common longboard. To accomplish that goal, carbon fibers were placed along pre-simulated load paths of the structural components in a so-called Tailored-Fiber-Placement process. This technology allows an angle-independent single-roving placement and leads not only to the reduction of weight but also helps to save valuable fiber material by avoiding cutting waste.
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