AUTOMOTIVE | INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS


Right: The haptics and visual appearance of components in the car interior are becoming even more important. BASF says its Ultramid B3E2G6 SI BK23353 (left) and Ultramid B3E2G10 SI BK23353 glass reinforced PA6 grades represent a new generation of surface-improved structural materials. Compared to standard material (right), the new grades are said to impress with very low emission values and good UV stability, making them ideal for the use in functional visible parts in the interior. (Parts are approximately 20cm across.)


Addressing a similar theme but with a different


material, BASF says the transformation of the car interior into a “feel-good space on four wheels” is increasing very fast, with haptics and visual appear- ance of components becoming more important than ever. “BASF is presenting innovative materials for premium and appealing surfaces to give the interior a distinctive look,” it says.


Glossy polyamides BASF launched Ultramid Deep Gloss, a special polyamide for durable high-gloss trim parts, three years ago. Now comes a new generation of surface-improved structural materials in the shape of Ultramid B3E2G6 SI BK23353 and Ultramid B3E2G10 SI BK23353. “The glass fibre reinforced types based on PA6 impress with very low emission values and good UV stability and are therefore ideally suited for the use in functional visible parts in the interior,” says Rainer Xalter, product devel- oper in the Performance Materials division at BASF. “Structural components with plain, matt and


textured surfaces can be produced in just one process step,” he says. “An additional painting of the component to upgrade the surface is not necessary.” Visible fibre turbulences, which are commonly observed on surfaces of standard types, are largely suppressed by the new SI grades. Grades with different levels of glass fibre reinforce- ment enable production of parts with medium to very high stiffness. The two new grades are aimed at such parts as air ventilation lamellas, steering column levers, armrests, cup holders, and even door handles. They have high long-term use characteristics and are insensitive to commercially available cleaning agents – an increasingly important property as car sharing, which requires frequent professional cleaning of the interior, becomes more popular. Pratik Shah is Director of Strategic Initiatives at


Teknor Apex Company’s ETP Division. He says that with such market trends as the electrification of vehicles, increased connectivity, and autono-


22 INJECTION WORLD | November/December 2020


mous driving, car interiors are poised to change. “Automotive engineers seek to optimise and balance several priorities: firstly, the traditional focus on weight reduction, part integration, and lower system cost is still front and centre; in addition, new performance requirements for electric vehicles, combined with consumer de- mands for safe, clean, and sustainable auto interiors, have created vast opportunities for innovation in design and material technologies. “With these priorities in mind, Teknor Apex has


collaborated globally with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to develop a range of engineering thermoplastics for structural and aesthetic automo- tive interior and exterior components, such as mirror brackets, centre consoles, air lamellas, arm rest brackets, seat pans, and seat back frames.” The company’s newest product family is Createc


C, a series of glass-reinforced compounds based on blends of PET and PBT polyesters. These materials provide a superior balance of chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties, exhibit excellent dimensional stability and weatherability, are mouldable in fast cycles, and yield parts with good looking, high-gloss surfaces. Teknor Apex introduced the Creamid P series


last year. This consists of modified PA6 compounds optimised for flow and low moisture absorption. The company has since added to this series grades with 30 to 60% glass fibre reinforcement that Shah says meet the most stringent fogging and VOC requirements for automotive interior applications. The company also continues to expand the Creamid S family, a series of reinforced semi-aro- matic polyamide compounds providing high strength and stiffness and excellent surface finish, with grades specifically engineered for halogen- free FR applications. Trinseo says that with the trend toward assisted and autonomous driving and the growing number of electronic components on the vehicles, “the convergence of consumer electronics and automo- tive cannot be denied. The need now is to support


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IMAGE: BASF


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