First Use of Urethane Foam Seat Cushioning

Believed to be the earliest use of polyurethane foam in automotive seating, this application was featured on the rear seat of the 1957MY Desoto and Chrysler 300 2-door hardtops by then Chrysler Corp.   The urethane seat topper replaced cotton batting and latex-rubber sponge products, providing a 50-60% weight and 10-20% piece-cost savings plus lower manufacturing and assembly costs.  It also increased seat comfort, durability, flexibility, and breathability for consumers. Flame-retardant materials were used for safety.

OEM/Vehicle 1957MY Chrysler Corp. DeSoto & Chrysler 300 2-Door Hardtop System Supplier Reynolds Chemical Products

Material Supplier Union Carbide (Now Bayer MaterialScience) Resin PUR

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Interior/Auto-Upholstery.html

EPP Head Restraint Core for FMVSS-202a

This patent-pending safety application is the first time an expanded-polypropylene (EPP) foam head-restraint insert has been used to meet FMVSS-202a static requirements in a headrest.  Local depressions in the core are used to reduce permanent set during FMVSS-202 “backset” and “height” retention testing.  A unique snap-fit design is formed without the need for slides or lifters in the low-cost steam-chest tooling, providing a secure fit to the head-restraint rod and ease of assembly.  The core’s unique geometry allows for a large number of cavities (32) to be used in the mold, helping increase productivity and reduce piece costs. The application provides significant piece-price and tooling avoidance savings vs. injection- or blow-molded plastic cores.

OEM/Vehicle 2008 & 2009MY Ford Motor Co. Various Vehicles System Supplier Windsor Machine Group Material Processor Tegrant Corp.

Material Supplier JSP Resin Arpro® EPP Tooling/Equipment Supplier Tegrant Corp.

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

Integrally Molded Energy Absorption Features

The patent-pending injection-molded, high-impact PP door-trim substrate’s design features integrally molded, energy-absorbing rib structures that replace pelvic-safety foam bolsters, improving occupant protection during side-impact events while reducing piece price, tooling costs, and assembly costs.  The vehicle’s 5-Star side-impact performance is due in part to the design of this innovative door-trim substrate. 

OEM/Vehicle 2008MY Ford Motor Co. Ford® Flex™ CUV System Supplier Johnson Controls Material Processor Johnson Controls

Material Supplier LyondellBasell Resin Basell® SG-702  PP  Tooling/Equipment Supplier Trident Tooling

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

Styrene Foam EAs for Head Impact

This was the best-in-class, low-cost energy-absorption (EA) countermeasure based on zero tooling, piece price, and time to market.  Foamed styrene is extruded into blocks, then wire cut into complex shapes, providing significant weight (25% lighter), cost, and timing benefits vs. competitive products.

OEM/Vehicle 2008MY Ford Motor Co. Ford® Focus® Compact Car System Supplier Grupo Antolin North America

Material Supplier Dow Automotive Resin Impaxx®  300  PS

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Automotive-Safety

Thermoformed EA Countermeasures in Recycled Resin

This 100% reuse of edge trim and offal from the energy-absorption (EA) countermeasures produced in the thermoforming process minimizes waste and reduces product costs without degradation of performance in this important head- and side-impact safety application. No waste is sent to the landfill now, which saves $85,000 USD/annually.

OEM/Vehicle 2008 & 2009MY Various Vehicles System Supplier Trim Quest Material Processor Oakwood Safety Plastic

Material Supplier LyondellBasell & Amoco Resin SV152, 6015, & 3045 Tooling/Equipment Supplier Oakwood Safety Plastic

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

Front Grille with Insert-Molded Bright Paintfilm

This chrome-look front grille is achieved in a single shot thanks to 6 pre-forms of bright paintfilm, eliminating post-mold chrome plating or painting and providing a more durable part with fewer warranty issues and better resale value. Cost and weight are reduced, there are no environmental compliance issues (as with plating or painting), less energy is used, and this product is 100% recyclable.

OEM/Vehicle 2008MY Hyundai Motor Co. Hyundai® Avante® Compact Car System Supplier ECOplastics Material Processor Hanguk Mold

Material Supplier LG Chemical Resin ASA Tooling/Equipment Supplier MOTOST

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Body-Exterior

Air-Extractor Grille

This is the largest air-extractor grille in the industry (31 in. / 780 mm long) and was a significant molding challenge due to the complexity of the grille's geometry and size. The injection-molded grille also had stringent appearance and performance requirements for this luxury-vehicle application. Special resin development allowed the successful molding of this Class A trim component, saving approximately $2 USD / vehicle and $40,000 USD in tooling.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Ford Motor Co. Lincoln® MKS Sedan System Supplier Intier Automotive Inc. Material Processor SPI

Material Supplier Ticona Resin Hostaform® LG450UV-D Acetal

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

Infraweld® Headliner Assembly

Eliminating the mess, weight, and cost of hot-melt glue to attach various components (e.g. energy absorbers, wire harnesses, moon roof trim rings, console retainers, NVH pads, pig tails) to the backside of headliners, this process uses a halogen infrared light source and pressure to attach components quickly (4 sec).  The weld that is formed is strong and of higher temperature than hot-melt glue, making the headliner more heat tolerant at a 10-15% weight and average $3 USD / vehicle cost reduction, while also improving recyclability.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Ford Motor Co. Ford® F-Series® Pickups System Supplier Trim Quest Material Processor Oakwood Safety Plastic

Material Supplier LyondellBasell & Amoco Resin Pro-Fax®  SV152  PP Tooling/Equipment Supplier Extol Inc.

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Interior

Twin-Sheet Blow-Molded Fuel System

Twin-sheet blow molding offers the advantages of an extrusion blow-molded fuel system with the design flexibility of a half-shell process. Sheets extrude between a central core and the mold. Core actions attach the components during initial sheet forming.  The empty core is withdrawn and the mold is closed to join the formed sheets. Fuel tanks formed via this process meet the strictest PZEV emissions requirements, while also providing higher tank capacity, lower emissions, weight and cost reductions, and elimination of post-mold operations.   

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY BMW AG BMW® Series 7 Sedan System Supplier Inergy Automotive Systems Material Processor Inergy Automotive Systems

Material Supplier LyondellBasell, Kurrary & Mitsui Resin Lupolen® 4261  HDPE Tooling/Equipment Supplier Inergy Automotive Systems

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

Torque Reaction Mount

For the first time, a highly loadable, thin-walled, lightweight torque reaction mount was achieved in a plastic design. The design was optimization via integrative simulation, which combined process simulation, material modeling, and structural analysis. All simulations have been validated by comprehensive lab and vehicle testing..

OEM/Vehicle 2006 General Motors Corp. Opel® Vectra® & Signum® & Saab® 9-3 Sedans System Supplier ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH Material Processor ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH

Material Supplier BASF Resin Ultramid® A3WG10 CR 50%-GF PA 6/6 Tooling/Equipment Supplier Hasselbeck

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Car-Engine-Components

Adjustable Carbon Fiber Rear Wing

Replacing a blow-molded thermoplastic, this advanced composite wing offers a high degree of aerodynamic stability (900 lb of down force) at minimum weight (6 lb/2.7 kg) even at 200 mph/322 kph, improving handling and braking. Down force is adjustable.  Design uses a coreless construction and high-impact, exposed carbon fiber weave in a special UV-stabilized epoxy matrix.

OEM/Vehicle 2008MY Chrysler LLC Dodge® Viper® ACR Sports Car  System Supplier Plasan Carbon Composites  Material Processor Plasan Carbon Composites

Material Supplier ETS Resin Carbon Fiber Pre-Preg & Epoxy Tooling/Equipment Supplier Prefix

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

Exposed-Weave Roof Assembly

A proprietary, UV-stabilized and color-corrected clear coat was developed to prevent yellowing of exposed-weave carbon fiber composite in this highly visible, Class A roof assembly with exacting aesthetic requirements. Replacing an earlier thermoplastic roof assembly, the bonded advanced composite version is lighter (lowering the vehicle’s center of gravity), has lower CLTE, and is more robust, providing improved rollover protection.

OEM/Vehicle 2008MY General Motors Corp. Chevrolet® Corvette® ZR1 Sports Car  System Supplier Plasan Carbon Composites  Material Processor Plasan Carbon Composites

Material Supplier ETS and ACG  Resin Carbon Fiber Pre-Preg & Epoxy Tooling/Equipment Supplier Models and Tools

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