Everyday operations in Benecke-Kaliko’s labs: Olaf Dahlmann measures emissions.
Ensuring clean interior air in vehicles
Dr Alexander Jockisch reveals why high-quality interior surfaces are becoming increasingly popular in the automotive sector.
D
emand for high-quality interior surfaces in vehicles is growing worldwide. The Asian market in particular is experiencing a boom as vehicle manufacturers all strive to meet the
stringent specifications relating to the purity of air inside vehicles. The changes in legislation relating to emissions in
vehicle passenger compartments in Asia mean new challenges. New regulations – for example, in China, Korea and Japan – are resulting in new requirements for surface materials in automotive interiors. Dr Roland Freudenmann, global head of labs at surface material manufacturer Benecke-Kaliko, is familiar with the key parameters and optimisation options. He says: “We can assist in establishing for the Chinese market the standardised methods for testing air quality that have been proved in Europe and the USA.” Standardised measurements are not yet available in China. However, time and costs can be saved if the right method is used.
12
www.engineerlive.com
The first important step is to break down the requirements relating to a vehicle as a whole into test methods for surface materials. Therefore Freudenmann recommends German standards VDA 278 for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and VDA 275 for aldehydes and ketones, both of which are globally established and efficient test methods. It is also essential to determine the age of the material under test since emissions are a function of time. “A sample age of seven days should be set,” says Freudenmann. Test accuracy is greater then than immediately after manufacturing, and this age is more realistic since the production and shipping of parts and cars also require an extended period. Foils that are deformed during processing should also be subjected to a simulation of the production process before being tested for emissions.
Detailed analysis
Analysis of the standard PVC trim materials, for example, has shown that the only regulated substance
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52