Materials
Vehicle manufacturers want to replace expensive, heavy metal parts with cheaper and lighter polymers and composites. The result is a raft of new products and opportunities for chemical companies.
Les constructeurs automobiles souhaitent remplacer les pièces coûteuses en métal lourd par des matériaux polymères et composites meilleur marché et plus légers. Ceci a donné lieu à une multitude d’opportunités et produits nouveaux pour les fabricants de produits chimiques.
Automobilhersteller möchten teure, schwere Metallteile durch günstigere und leichtere Polymere und Verbundmaterialien ersetzen. Das Resultat ist eine Vielzahl neuer Produkte und Chancen für Chemikalienhersteller.
Polymers and composites continue to drive the automotive market
T
he latest developments from polymer manufacturing companies are demonstrating just how important the automobile sector is when it comes to driving innovation and providing new
opportunities for chemical companies. Underbody shielding manufactured by Takeo
Automotive Systems and made of SymaLITE from Quadrant Plastics Composites has been specified for the BMW Z4. The lightweight shielding covers a significant part of the car’s underbody, resulting in enhancement of aerodynamics, a more comfortable, silent ride and better fuel efficiency. The shielding is developed
and manufactured by Takeo Automotive Systems, Diefurt, Germany, in close cooperation with Quadrant Plastic Composites on design support, tool development, processing line lay-out and the selection of new material grades based on OEM specifications. The BMW Z4 SymaLITE
of the part, while the upper surface is closed and thus impermeable to water, petrol or oil. According to Harri Dittmar, automotive
product manager at Quadrant Plastics Composites: “SymaLITE is an intelligent composite material with specially orientated glass fibres that give it superior rigidity and shape at low weight. By varying the mix of fibre and PP resins in relation to the functional surface layers, the material’s properties can be adapted to match the performance demands of the part, giving greater design and processing flexibility than competitive offerings.”
The open cellular structure
shielding is made of a layered, sandwich-like core structure, providing excellent acoustic properties as well as a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio compared with injection moulded parts or other alternative material solutions. An acoustic fleece replaces a thin polymer film
Fig. 2. A Cadillac CTS spoiler made with SABIC Innovative Plastics’ Cycoloy PC/ABS resin.
Fig. 1. Magneti Marelli has chosen Rhodia’s Technyl to produce the air intake manifold and fuel rail of the Citroën C4 and the C5 2l biofuel engines in Brazil.
of SymaLITE provides excellent acoustic properties, reducing engine and gearbox noise and driving noise levels. Rolling noise is also highly absorbed which further reduces the interior noise level. In addition to superior noise absorption qualities, SymaLITE underbody shields and wheel arch liners are extremely tough and stiff and offer excellent resistance to aging, crack development, stone-chipping and material deformation. “We have established
on the road-facing side and improves noise damping significantly. Moisture can penetrate the material, but is quickly released without affecting the functionality
a close and highly successful co-operation with Quadrant. This allows us to combine our know-how in underbody design and production technology with the material knowledge of Quadrant Plastic Composites to produce superior parts like the SymaLITE body shields,” said Frank Heisler, owner and ceo of Takeo Automotive Systems. “We are delighted to see how successful these parts are with leading OEMs and the acoustic improvements and fuel efficiency benefits they bring to the driver.” The use of SymaLITE as a material for
underbody shields began with BMW in 2003. The material is now being widely adopted by other OEMs, including Porsche, Toyota and Audi. Meanwhile, Magneti Marelli has chosen Rhodia’s
Technyl to produce the air intake manifold (AIM) and the fuel rail of the Citroën C4 and the C5 2l biofuel engines in Brazil. This choice is extended to Peugeot 407, 307 and 308 series (Fig. 1).
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