AUTOMOTIVE | OPEN HOUSE
Right: Interiors of Chinese cars are increasingly sophisticated
Right: Integrat- ed centre stack demonstrator from Continental
Below: XiM17 “eXperience-in- Motion 2017” interior concept from Yanfeng shows how interiors could be easily rearranged
Bengtsson, emphasised the importance of obtain- ing harmony from parts made in different materials, by different processes, by different suppliers, sometimes on different continents. He noted that Volvo’s new XC60 SUV uses no fewer than 60 differ- ent materials for its interior surfaces. How will EVs affect the need for plastics in cars? Johannes Sprafke at BASF spoke of the special importance of keeping weight down to extend range, citing new lightweighting applications in areas such as heating and ventilation, drivetrain, peripherals, and battery packs (an area also high- lighted by Markus Kreisel from Kreisel, a small family-owned innovator in battery pack design and production). Sprafke detailed the Nexhos “next generation” high voltage battery for plug-in hybrids, which contains 17kg of polyamide-based com- pounds and composites, and which is 20% lighter than a comparable aluminium structure. The concept, not yet commercial, has been “virtually” validated by BASF and also by BMW. A demonstrator tested by BMW has confirmed the feasibility of the concept. Polymers are also crucial to heat management solutions that can increase EV range by around 10%, Sprafke said, highlighting the use of heat-reflecting glazing films and also insulating foams – an area also discussed by Sabic’s global marketing director Matteo Terragni. Sabic has highlighted foams (not only in automotive) as a key development area. Volkswagen has targeted a weight reduction in the interior of the next Golf (VW 380 model, due out in 2019) of 16kg. Markus Medine from the company looked at lightweighting trends through natural materials. He pointed out that flax, for example has a density 40% less than glass and – possibly more important – a better specific modu-
lus. Flax fibres are also easy to bond, owing to their oxygen-rich surfaces. Peter Egger, division manager at Engel’s centre for lightweight composite technologies, posed the provocative question, “Do we need lightweight parts at all?” given that energy costs are falling, batteries are getting more powerful, and drives are improving. The answer is yes, of course. Egger noted that weight is decisive for 76% of a middle-class car’s energy consumption. Technologies such as foaming and thin-walling need to be used as much as possible to reduce weight. He cited a new car door handle made using MuCell physical foaming technology that is 40% lighter than the compact original, thanks to foaming and a redesign that also made it possible to cut the number of gates from three to one and eliminate sink marks. Foaming has also enabled a battery box to be converted
from solid PA to foamed PP, while new instrument panel carriers
like the one on the Golf VII are also taking advan- tage of foaming technologies. The IP carrier is made using injection-decompression, a form of core-back technology that creates the foam by relieving pressure in the closed mould. The weight of the IP came down from 6 to 5.5 kg. Meanwhile, the first gear housing in composites
was recently produced, using a combination of fibre reinforced sheet and tape, aluminium, and injection moulding. A demonstrator was shown by product development company Arrk Europe at the JEC World composites exhibition in Paris earlier this year. Audi’s aim is to achieve component costs of under €20/kg, said Julius Rausch, who is involved with technology development for fibre reinforced polymers at Audi. Today though, while the figure for aluminium is already €10/kg (for steel it is €2/ kg), carbon fibre composites cost €50/kg. So the company has to be extremely careful where it uses
18 INJECTION WORLD | September 2017
www.injectionworld.com
PHOTO: CAR MEN
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 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62
