A/C Register Chrome Vane Cap

Chrome-plated ABS vane caps with a contoured edge create unique styling and a new decorative finish to A/C register vanes without jeopardizing vane surface appearance. An automated process is used to apply adhesive bonding material to the vane cap and then assemble the vane to the GR-PBT vane body with zero-gap margins for excellent fit & finish. The process eliminates appearance defects due to mechanical locks on the vane body and permits parts to be handled within 20 seconds.

OEM/Vehicle Ford Motor Co. 2017 Lincoln Continental System Supplier Summit Polymers, Inc. Material Processor    Summit Polymers, Inc.

Material Supplier Samsung Group / Toyobo Resin MP-0160R ABS Vylopet EMC-450 PBT Tooling/Equipment Supplier Isen Tooling & Engineering Co., Ltd. Sunway Automotive

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

Bumper Energy Absorber

Globally, this is the first single-piece front bumper energy absorber (EA) that simultaneously meets the conflicting requirements of both Part 581 bumper damageability (which tends to require a stiff EA) and Pedestrian Protection GTR lower-leg impact (which tends to require a soft EA).  By developing a common EA that meets both sets of requirements and is tunable, the need for different EAs, bumper beams, and bumper fascias in different geographies with different impact requirements is eliminated. The injection molded PC/PBT blend offers excellent energy absorption properties during deformation (up to 100% strain) while retaining its structural integrity from -30 to 60C.  The patent-pending system reduces complexity in design, manufacturing, and assembly, plus improves pedestrian safety while also lowers replacement costs during low-speed impacts.  It is 40% lighter and 10% less expensive than steel EAs and 20% lighter than thicker PP EAs at comparable costs.

OEM/Vehicle Ford Motor Co. 2013 Fusion midsize sedan & Mondeo sedan System Supplier Magna Exteriors & Interiors Material Processor Magna Exteriors & Interiors

Material Supplier SABIC Resin XENOY 1103 PC/PBT

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

Rear Bumper Beam

This extremely light (1.8 kg) solitary rear bumper beam solution meets low-speed damageability requirements at 60% less weight than steel and 20% less than GMT beams, while also reducing costs 10% vs. steel and 15% vs. GMT. Thanks to a new injection-molding grade of PC/PBT material and novel design, this bumper achieves a high stiffness/weight ratio and excellent energy-absorption characteristics, helping reduce insurance costs for low-speed bumper damage. The material's cost-effectiveness and the design's ease of assembly contributed to cost reductions.

OEM/Vehicle Jianghuai Automobile Co. Ltd. 2013 B2 compact sedan System Supplier MINTH Group Ltd. Material Processor RENHENG Enterprise Holdings Ltd.

Material Supplier SABIC Resin XENOY 1105 PC/PBT

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

Portable Electric-Vehicle Charger

This charging system consists of 4 major components that, together, deliver a robust and reliable charge cycle for an electric vehicle.  The user-friendly system plugs into existing electrical infrastructure and provides multiple levels of safety for the user, the EV, and charging equipment.  It meets numerous Underwriters Laboratories (UL)  safety requirements, yet is robust and attractive enough for everyday use.

OEM/Vehicle General Motors Co. 2012MY Chevrolet Volt System Supplier Delphi Corp. Material Processor Delphi Corp.

Material Supplier SABIC Resin Valox PBT

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

Front Fascia Panel

This is the first light truck globally to use a large body panel injection molded from engineering thermoplastics to improve crash performance, aesthetics, durability, and assembly.  Designed, engineered, and produced in India, it is 30% lighter than the stamped steel panel it replaced and provides durability, damage resistance, improved styling, and better fuel economy.

OEM/Vehicle 2005 Tata Motors Ace mini-truck System Supplier Tata Autocomp Systems Ltd Material Processor Tata Autocomp Systems Ltd

Material Supplier Sabic Innovative Plastics Resin Xenoy ® X5300WX PC-PBT Tooling/Equipment Supplier Sridevi Tools

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

Up-Cycled PBT Air-Register Vanes

Molded-in-color, Class-A aesthetics with high stiffness are achieved using post-consumer recycled (repolymerized) PBT whose properties match those of virgin material.  The up-cycling/repolymerization process eliminates 8.5 barrels of crude oil/ton and 60% lower CO2 emissions vs. PBT from conventional monomer. 

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Chrysler LLC / Volkswagen AG RM Routan Minivan System Supplier Summit Polymers Material Processor Summit Polymers

Material Supplier SABIC Innovative Plastics Resin Valox iQ™ iQ8280SF  40%-GF PBT

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

Laser Markable Crash Sensors

This injection-moldable PBT material combines hydrolysis resistance to meet U.S. Car Class II requirements with laser markability for product traceability and assembly via laser welding for use in a safety-critical part. The formulation has been optimized for dimensional stability in humidity, optimal lasermarking resolution, and laser welds that are impermeable to moisture and not vulnerable to alkali attack.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Ford Motor Co. Various Vehicles  System Supplier Autoliv Material Processor Microplastics

Material Supplier Ticona Resin Celanex® 3309 HRLM  PBT  Tooling/Equipment Supplier Redo Mold Ltd.

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

Low-Plateout, Direct-Metallizable Bezel/Reflector Resin

Special pigment and resin system yields a direct-metallizable thermoplastic polyester reflector resin with very-low plate-out and excellent surface replication.  Productivity is enhanced 50% by reducing tool cleaning, and a cost avoidance of 15-20% is achieved due to reduced scrap from appearance-related issues.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Ford Motor Co. Ford® F-150® Pickup  System Supplier Ford ACH Lighting – Sandusky Material Processor Ford ACH Lighting – Sandusky

Material Supplier SABIC Innovative Plastics Resin Valox®  V2000DM  PBT  Tooling/Equipment Supplier Redo Mold Ltd.

For more Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Body-Exterior/Lighting-Systems.html

Pedestrian-Protection Bumper Reinforcement System

An innovative energy absorber (EA) design mounted on the grille opening reinforcement instead of cross-car beam enabled this vehicle to be the first in the SUV class to meet tough European pedestrian-protection requirements for lower-leg impacts, eliminating the need for a separate EA in front of the bumper beam. An unfilled PC/PBT resin was used to injection mold this EA/upper reinforcement, providing best-in-class  performance and facilitating the vehicle’s aggressive styling thanks to the need for less packaging space.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Ford Motor Co.: Ford®   Kuga® Compact CUV System Supplier Plastal Germany Material Processor Plastal Germany

Material Supplier SABIC Innovative Plastics Resin Xenoy® CL101 PC/PBT

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

Fender-Flare from Up-Cycled PET

This injection-molded PC/PBT fender flare uses resin sourced from depolymerized PET water bottles that have been repolymerized and compounded into PBT, diverting over 200 water bottles from landfills per vehicle and reducing CO2 emissions by 80% vs. traditional virgin resin. This is also the first exterior use of a depolymerized / repolymerized post-consumer recycled resin on a passenger vehicle.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Nissan Motor Co.: Nissan®   Infiniti® QX56 Luxury CUV System Supplier Rehau Material Processor Rehau

Material Supplier SABIC Innovative Plastics Resin Xenoy® iQ1103 PC/PBT

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

Door-Glass Bond-On Bracket

The door-glass bond-on brackets with integral leaf springs are an industry first replacing steel with plastics and accommodating the compound curvature of the side-door glass. Plastic brackets provide adequate deflection for glass movement in 6º of freedom, yet are sufficiently stiff to prevent slippage of glass inside the track during operation. This application provided a 50% weight reduction and 30% cost reduction vs. steel and provides quieter operation of glass.

OEM/Vehicle 2010MY Ford Motor Co.: Ford®  Taurus®  Sedan System Supplier Vitro Engineering Material Processor Vitro Engineering

Material Supplier SABIC Innovative Plastics Resin Valox® PBT

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

Electronic Throttle-Control Actuator

This electronic throttle-control actuator meets or exceeds all USCAR global standards and focused on mass reduction.  The unit makes use of injection-molded PA 4/6 and PBT resins to produce 7 innovative plastic components:  an ultra-thin-wall carbon fiber-reinforced PA 4/6 bushing, ultra-high-strength gears with outstanding dimensional stability, high-temperature electric motor brush card, and a uniquely designed cover / cap combination.  In total, 43 g of weight were saved on this program vs. previous designs.

OEM/Vehicle General Motors Co. 2010 All (Global) System Supplier Continental Automotive Material Processor DSM Engineering Plastics

Resin Stanyl PA46 Arnite PBT

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

Crash-Boxes for Truck-Cabin Occupant Protection

Injection-molded PC/PBT was used to form left and right side crash boxes that allowed the commercial truck OEM to meet the very high (30kJ) impact energy of this crash requirement in India.  The versatile design allows both left- and right-hand parts to be  molded from the same tool while reducing weight 30% vs. the previous steel system.

OEM/Vehicle Volvo-Eicher Commercial Vehicle Pvt Ltd. 2011 India 7T LCV commercial truck System Supplier Machino Plastics Ltd. Material Processor Machino Plastics Ltd.

Material Supplier SABIC Innovative Plastics Resin Xenoy 1102 PC-PBT Tooling/Equipment Supplier Machino Plastics Ltd.

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