Automotive - The Expert's View

Feb 15, 2010 - Plastics Advance Fuel Cell Technology Solutions by SpecialChem (Article)

Fuel cells, despite being in the nascent stage of development, are viewed as a potentially vast market for plastics with reinforced thermosets and thermoplastics the most likely materials of choice for the manufacture of bi-polar plates,...
Mar 11, 2010 - Automotive decorative panel for dashboard made using DirectSkinning process by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

An innovative decorative panel that is designed to seal off a kinematic drawer located on the dashboard of the BMW 5 Gran Turismo series directly above the central console is the first series production for the newly developed...
Mar 10, 2010 - Development of low moisture absorbing sheet molding compound by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

This article reviews the role of sheet molding compound (SMC) constituent components in controlling the moisture absorption of the final molded panels. A variety of polyester resins, low profile additives, and fillers were exposed to high...
Mar 08, 2010 - ePP replaces steel in automotive seat by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The French automaker Citroën has designed a lightweight seat structure in order to replace a heavy and costly steel structure for its new Citroën C3 vehicles. In fact it has chosen a strong, light and recyclable material i.e. an expanded...
Mar 05, 2010 - First solar car that integrates bio-based plastics by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Italian automaker Fiat has announced that it has designed the first solar car, which is notably made from bio-based thermoplastic materials, thanks to a collaborative partnership between two Italian universities. This innovative...
Mar 03, 2010 - Morphology and physical properties of polyurethane foams by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Polyurethane foams (PUFs) were prepared by mixing poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) and isocyanates in the ratio of 1:1.03 in the presence of additives such as catalyst, blowing agent and...
Mar 03, 2010 - Tufted PET carpet technology for cars by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American automaker General Motors (GM) has received a 2009 PACE Partnership Award for its collaboration with the American company Futuris Automotive Interiors on the development of an alternative to polyamide (PA) carpet i.e. a tufted...
Feb 25, 2010 - Bio-based urban hybrid concept car by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

A student team at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden, has designed a high-performance hybrid concept car for the Shell Eco-marathon, whose aim was to design and build a vehicle that used the least amount of fuel to...
Feb 25, 2010 - Breakthrough material for low gloss and abrasion resistance with molded-in-color automotive interior components by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

The luxury impression of a vehicle's interior is strongly dependent upon the surface quality of the plastic interior trim parts. In higher level vehicles, this is achieved by covering the plastic surfaces with PVC or Thermoplastic Olefin...
Feb 24, 2010 - Color matched wood-grained component for automobile interior by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

This invention claims a process for manufacture of automotive interior components comprising a plastic substrate having 1 flat surface with 1 adjacent curved surface, and a wood-grained plastic film having a major colored feature and...
Feb 19, 2010 - Innovative eco-friendly crossover alternative energy vehicle by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American company Velozzi, which is dedicated to the design, manufacture and marketing of environmentally friendly, sporty, and practical plug-in multi-fuel hybrid electric vehicles, and the German material producer Bayer MaterialScience...
Feb 18, 2010 - Steering wheel switch made from PET/PBT compound by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The injected molded steering wheel module developed for the new BMW Z4 Roadster vehicles by the German automotive system supplier TRW Automotive Systems GmbH has won a “MID Industry Award 2009 at the latest Forschungsvereinigung trade show...
Feb 16, 2010 - Shielding cover for sports cars by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The underbody shielding of the latest Z4 sports car of the German automaker BMW are made by the German automotive part manufacturer Takea Automotive Systems GmbH from a glass mat thermoplastic material from Quadrant Plastic Composites i.e....
Feb 15, 2010 - Fatigue and fracture toughness of epoxy nanocomposites by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

The fatigue and failure mechanisms of epoxy composites have been researched extensively because of their commercial importance in fields demanding materials with high specific strength. Particulate, sheets, short and long fibers with...
Feb 12, 2010 - Materials and Methods for Hydrogen Storage by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Hydrogen is important as a new source of energy for automotive applications. It is clear that the key challenge in developing this technology is hydrogen storage. Current methods for hydrogen storage have yet to meet all the demands for...
Feb 12, 2010 - Plastic car oil sump housing by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Bruss, the German specialist of high-performance sealing systems for powertrain applications has developed a new plastic car oil sump housing for the Mercedes-Benz E and C class vehicles. This innovation has won an Automotive Award for...
Feb 11, 2010 - Turbocharger air duct made from PPS by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Röchling Automotive, Northern Italy in collaboration with the Celanese subsidiary Ticona has developed a turbocharger air duct by using polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) materials i.e. Fortron™ grades from Ticona for the Volkswagen Golf TDI...
Feb 08, 2010 - Innovative tailgate spoiler by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The German automaker BMW, the Austrian plastic processing machine manufacturer Engel and the German molder Hofmann Innovation Group have joined forces to develop an innovative tailgate spoiler for the BMW 5-series vehicles that have been...
Feb 08, 2010 - Lightweight materials for the automotive sector by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Automotive is a sector where energy consumption during the use phase prevails over the production and the end-of-life phases. Therefore, a lot of research and innovations have aimed at replacing classical steel parts by lighter materials...
Feb 02, 2010 - Almost 100% recyclable automotive seat by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American automotive interior supplier Johnson Control Inc. has developed an innovative eco-friendly seat for standard and hybrid vehicles that is nearly 100% recyclable. This new seat, available under the trade name Synergy Seat,...
Feb 01, 2010 - Film technology for a chrome finish for automotive grille by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The automaker Hyundai Kia Motor Company (HKMC) has chosen a Soliant film technology i.e. Fluorex™ bright film to provide a chrome finish to the grille of its Verna vehicles (Accent in Europe). Fluorex™ bright film is used on a variety of...
Feb 01, 2010 - New direct-metallized rear lighting bezel by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

A 2009 North American Truck of the Year Award has been won by Ford for its innovative direct-metallized rear bezel that it has designed in collaboration with Automotive Components Holding LLC (ACH). In fact ACH has replaced the previously...
Jan 29, 2010 - Carbon fiber roof for automobiles by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The German automaker BMW has selected HexForce® NC2® reinforcements for the inner structural layer of the carbon fiber roof of its new M Series vehicles. NC2® is a patented Non-Crimp Fabrics (NCF) technology from Hexcel...
Jan 28, 2010 - New process for metallic effects by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Researchers from the German Institute for Plastics Processing i.e. the IKV institute have announced that they have simplified the process allowing to decorate plastic parts with real metal. Until now injected molded parts could be decorated...
Jan 27, 2010 - Two-component door parapet by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The new Volkswagen Transporter T5 Multivan vehicle includes a new two-component door parapet developed by the German automotive part manufacturer ETG Elastomer Technik Gedern GmbH. This innovative door parapet is made from a thermoplastic...
Jan 25, 2010 - Transmission cross beam made of reinforced PA by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

While conventional transmission cross beam are made from aluminum, the German company ContiTech AG, a leader in the non-tire rubber sector, the material producer BASF AG and the automaker BMW have joined forces in order to develop an...
Jan 22, 2010 - An environmentally friendly Formula 3 racing car by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

British researchers have built an innovative Formula 3 racing car by using recycled plastic stemming from water and juice bottles. They have also used carrot fibers and other materials that normally expect to find in the recycling or...
Jan 19, 2010 - Structures for energy dissipation in safety protection systems by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Several recent patents on energy dissipation structures for building and vehicle safety systems are reviewed and summarized. The safety of buildings or vehicle occupants can be greatly improved through application of energy dissipation...
Jan 18, 2010 - Automotive interior components made from TPO compounds by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

For the new Skoda Fabia Roomster vehicles, the automaker Skoda (Volkswagen Group) and its French One Tier supplier Faurecia have selected a 17% talc filled polypropylene-based thermoplastic elastomer compound (TPO) for the production of...
Jan 12, 2010 - Effects of PP-g-MAH on the properties of PP / ABS blends by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) was evaluated as a compatibilizer for PP / ABS) blends using a twin screw extruder. The impact, tensile and flexural strengths of the blends were maximized at a PP-g-MAH content of 3 % by... (8 Member Reactions)