First All Plastic Front Grill

This application utilizes a new molded-in color TPO material in a highly visible truck-bed rails application. The material has excellent scuff and mar resistance, and a low coefficient of linear-thermal expansion (CLTE) value. Innovations allowed the material to replace an engineered thermoplastic ionomer in the existing tools, resulting in a 30% direct materials and process savings.

OEM/Vehicle 1966 Pontiac Bonneville, Catalina, and Tempest System Supplier GM Ternstedt Division Millington Plastics Co.

Material Supplier Marbon Chemical (a division of Borg Warner, now GE Plastics) Resin CYCOLAC H ABS Tooling/Equipment Supplier Perfect Mold (The Becker Group)

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Body-Exterior/Bumpers-Fascia-Systems.html?css=print

Fully Structural Blow-Molded Seatbacks

These all-plastic, blow-molded PC/ABS seatbacks meet strict European safety legislation, including ECE 17 luggage retention, as well as other globally mandated requirements.  Because the PC/ABS blow-molded seatbacks replaced metal, a significant weight savings of almost 2.3 kg (5 lb) / vehicle was realized as well as a cost savings of $4 USD / vehicle.

OEM/Vehicle 2007 MY Audi AG Audi® TT System Supplier Lear Corporation Material Processor Moellertech GmbH

Material Supplier Dow Automotive Resin PULSE™ 2200 BG PC/ABS

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/FAQs/Safety.html?css=print

S-8 High Temperature Series Lighting Assembly

This lighting system uses a unique combination of materials that withstand higher temperatures while reducing levels of material outgassing.   LCP resin, used for the lighting body and wedge base, enables front and daytime running lamps to continuously operate up to 230C (446F) without negatively impacting the photometric output, as can occur when other materials (e.g. nylons and PPA’s) are used in its place.  Furthermore, the LCP solution saves costs due to reduced cycle times.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY General Motors Various Platforms System Supplier OSRAM SYLVANIA Material Processor OSRAM SYLVANIA

Material Supplier Ticona Engineering Polymers Resin Vectra® E Series Resin LCP Tooling/Equipment Supplier Various Suppliers

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Car-Electrical-System/Lighting-Systems.html?css=print

Pedestrian-Protection Lower Bumper Stiffener

The lower bumper stiffener, a component incorporated in the front-end, allows the Corsa to comply with recently enacted, European Union pedestrian-protection regulations.  This part was modeled via computer-aided engineering, taking into consideration the non-linear anistropic behavior of its long-glass nylon 6 material.  As a result, structural performance was more accurately predicted, decreasing the rate of acceleration of the lower leg during a pedestrian impact.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY General Motors Opel® Corsa System Supplier Heynco Material Processor Heynco

Material Supplier BASF Resin ULTRAMID® B3WG6 CR PA6

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Body-Exterior/Bumpers-Fascia-Systems.html?css=print

Power Liftgate Anti-Pinch Sensors

A conductive grade of TPV is used for the first time in power lift gate anti-pinch sensors.  The co-extruded TPV material, with a wire core inner, replaced thermoset EPDM rubber, which tends to harden over time as well as exhibit surface blooming, chalking, and cracking.  The TPV solution offers superior long-term surface aesthetics while meeting flexibility and performance requirements.

OEM/Vehicle 2004 MY Nissan Motors Nissan® Quest / Armada System Supplier Nicholas Plastics, Inc. Material Processor Nicholas Plastics, Inc.

Material Supplier ExxonMobil - Advanced Elastomer Systems Resin Santoprene® 121-50 Olefinic TPV Tooling/Equipment Supplier Nicholas Plastics, Inc.

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/autoglass

Scuffplate

A two-component doorstep molding has been reduced to a single component by using a mirror-finish paint film lamination. The in-mold decorated film is laminated to the TPO sheet material prior to forming, providing a brushed chrome finish.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota® Avensis System Supplier ecomold Material Processor ecomold

Material Supplier Soliant LLC Resin Fluorex® bright film laminate / PP  Tooling/Equipment Supplier ecomold

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Body-Exterior/Auto-Trim.html?css=print

Integrated Snap Attachment and Split Tongue and Groove Seal

The combination of snap design and split-tongue & groove case-to-case seal creates a simple, snap-together HVAC module.  The unit’s assembly was automated using an innovative workstation that performs the assembly with verification of engagement of each of the snap features. A 5% module cost reduction was achieved via the elimination of screws and the associated labor.

OEM/Vehicle 2007 MY General Motors Cadillac®, Chevrolet®,  & GMC® vehicles System Supplier Delphi Automotive Material Processor Delphi Thermal

Material Supplier Spartech-Polycom Resin TF PP Tooling/Equipment Supplier Asis Co., LTD

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/airducts

In-Mold Coating Slush Process

This is the first in-mold-coating (IMC) - Slush process to produce instrument-panel skins. The process allows surface properties of a slush-molded skin to be decoupled from the substrate properties. By optimizing the surface and the substrate independently, conflicting customer requirements can be met. Cost savings of 30% were realized through the use of a lower cost aromatic TPU grade.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY BMW E63 M-Version System Supplier Intier Automotive Eybl Interiors GmbH Material Processor Intier Automotive Eybl Interiors GmbH

Material Supplier Bayer Material Science Resin Desmopan® 3790 AP TPU Tooling/Equipment Supplier Galvanoform

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/InstrumentPanels

Direct Metalized High Heat Headlamp Bezel

This is the first headlamp bezel launched in North America with a PBT crystalline plastic that can be directly metalized without use of a base coat. The team developed the resin, tooling and processing expertise necessary to create an as-molded, high-gloss, Class-A surface for these decorative parts. Additionally, their 30% thinner wall section leads to as much as a 40% material cost savings.

OEM/Vehicle 2007 MY Ford Motor Company Lincoln® Navigator System Supplier ACH Holdings Limited Material Processor ACH Holdings Limited

Material Supplier DuPont Automotive Resin Crastin® CE2548 GY740 PBT Tooling/Equipment Supplier BTM

 For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/lightingsystems

Two Shot Door Bolster

This process combines a structural substrate and a soft-feel outer surface in a single high-pressure molding operation. Creative surface designs that can intermix different colors, haptics, thicknesses, and textures are used to produce a single, more-cost-effective part while also providing the perception of a more expensive component. Cost savings of 10 - 20%, and weight savings of 15%, were realized.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY DaimlerChrysler Dodge® Caliber System Supplier Lear Corporation Material Processor Lear Corporation - Greencastle

Material Supplier Kraiburg Resin Thermolast® K PP + TPE-S Tooling/Equipment Supplier Hi-Tech Mold Husky Injection Molding Systems

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/autobody

Spoiler Assembly with Intergrated Green-House Trim

This is the first application utilizing TPO / TPE 2-shot injection molding with vertical cubic rotation to produce a spoiler assembly integrated with upper green-house trim. The structural base of the spoiler is friction welded. An estimated 10% weight savings and approximately 40% piece-cost savings was achieved.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY DaimlerChrysler Dodge® Caliber System Supplier Scherer Trier USA Material Processor Scherer Trier USA

Material Supplier Basell Polyolifins Resin HiFax® BR 1149 PC 'RFX' Black TPO Tooling/Equipment Supplier Hoffman Tool

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/trim

Composite Valve Cover Assembly with Oil Trap

This first metallic top-coated SMC valve-cover assembly with deep draw and die-locked features meets all requirements for Volvo Powertrain – North America.  Use of SMC allowed for significantly reduced investment, with 30% mass saving and 50% piece-cost savings vs. a cast-aluminum design.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY Volvo Powertrain Mack® Vision, Granite, and MR System Supplier Meridian Automotive Systems Material Processor Meridian Automotive Systems

Material Supplier Meridian Automotive Systems Resin SMC Tooling/Equipment Supplier Concours Mold

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/futuredesign

Combined Wide Band Turbo Resonator

Turbo whine as well as blade-pass noise is no longer audible on vehicle interior or exterior due to this first-ever combination resonator mounted on the pressure side of the turbocharger.  The in-line mounted, single-housing resonator provides wideband frequency attenuation.  The combination of position and attenuation level saves about 60% in mass and materials vs. alternate methods of quieting turbocharged vehicles.

OEM/Vehicle 2006 MY DaimlerChrysler Dodge® Nitro System Supplier Woco MAS USA Inc. Material Processor Novoplas

Material Supplier DuPont Automotive Resin Zytel® 70G33 PA 6.6 GF 33 Tooling/Equipment Supplier Novoplas

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/transmission