Innovative applications continue in automotive plasticsAuthor:Richard Stewart

Polypropylene will remain the leading thermoplastic and present above-average growth based on its low cost, stiffness, and dimensional stability, particularly in motor-vehicle uses. Reinforced polycarbonate will expand at the fastest pace due to its dimensional stability, impact strength, and other properties, making it particularly amenable to motor-vehicle and producer durable equipment uses. Thermoplastic polyester and nylon will also present good opportunities due to their high heat resistance, strength, and durability. Composites advancing The move by vehicle OEMs toward fewer builds per model makes sheet molding compound (SMC) an even more attractive material choice because its tooling cost is the most competitive for exterior panels with annual volumes under 125,000, and for structural applications at any volume. Dry-powder priming of SMC is a challenge for OEMs that have switched from liquid primer for automotive paint lines. Suppliers, molders, and automakers are said to be working together for solutions. Though the majority of components produced from composites are reinforced with glass fibers, the demand for carbon fibers has been growing steadily. Carbon-fiber technology is used in the roof of the BMW M3 Concept car, making it significantly lighter than a steel roof. This reduces overall vehicle weight, in addition to lowering the center of gravity, which augments the agility and dynamic performance of the vehicle, observes BMW. Exterior applications Borealis recently announced that its TPO compound Daplen EF341AE has been used to produce the world's first fully integrated fender module. The material was specifically tailored to meet BMW's specifications for the BMW X5, and the module is said to be the most complex, highly integrated Class-A body application in production. Incorporated into the fender module are headlamp reinforcements, the wheel housing, cleaning systems, airbag sensors, and cooling devices. The module provides a 50% weight savings over a steel fender and components. Daplen reportedly was selected for its dimensional stability, which prevents warpage caused by expansion and contraction. Italso creates an optimal design blend with the rest of the steel exterior body of the luxury SUV, says Borealis. In a joint project with BMW, the Lustran Polymers business unit of Lanxess developed an online coatable polyamide/ ABS blend for Class-A body panels that can withstand the high temperatures (up to 392F/200_) of cathodic dip coating in the OEM's painting process. Mineralreinforced Triax DP 3157 has been used for the fenders of the 3 Series Coupe. The material is said to exhibit high stiffness and heat resistance, reduced water absorption, and low thermal expansion. Its relatively low linear thermal expansion enables low gap tolerances to be maintained between neighboring components, says the manufacturer. Developments in long fibers GE Plastics recently introduced newone-pellet long-glass-fiber compounds in its LNP Verton Xtreme compound portfolio for structural applications. The compounds are designed to solve the drawbacks of dry-blending colorants, flame retardants, additives, and other materials in long-glass-fiber compounds. The patent-pending technology improves consistency. Dow Automotive offers a solution for cost-effective production of long- glass fiberpolypropylene(LGF-PP) applications: 60% LGF-PP concentrates, diluted with natural PP, offering molders more production flexibility at reduced cost, says Dow. Traditionally, LGF-PP has been supplied in ready-mixed granulate with a 20%, 30%, or 45% glass-fiber content. While readymixed granulates offer reliable product quality, they are not always cost-effective, the company notes. The new concentrate, diluted with a Dow AutomotivNike Air Jordan 11Lab4 Retro 4 Patent Leather